Hey it's You and You and You and Me
by tehedward
Summary: A series of related Faberritana one-shots. Established Faberritana, each chapter will tell a small story set within a larger universe. A brief glimpse into the 4 girls thoughts and feelings. Expect pov from all four girls as well as guest appearances from the rest of the gleeks :)
1. Q&A or is that B

**I do not own Glee or any of the characters. They belong to somebody else that I don't care to look up. Just know that I don't own it obviously. This is an established Faberritana relationship and will be the first of many related one-shots that will cover their lives together. The one-shots will appear in no particular order.**

**The girls are 24-25 in this one. **

Q&A or is that B

It was the first quiet evening at home all month. With Rachel and Santana out at a movie it was just her and Quinn. It can be hard sometimes being with two people who are very up and at em' and get up and go. Not the Brittany would change Santana or Rachel for anything. Of course not, their fire is one of the many things that she loves about them. Still a quiet evening at home is nice every once in a while. Plus she doesn't get to interact one on one with her other girl as much as either of them would like.

Both Brittany and Quinn can keep up with Santana and Rachel just fine, but neither of those two really appreciates just sitting down and enjoying the silence with one another, not really doing anything other than being around each other. They both have to be doing something; she and Quinn enjoy their downtime though. Especially Quinn, who is currently siting in her big chair, reading a book that, looks really really boring, but she seems very into it.

As Quinn is reading Brittany takes the time to look at Quinn and really study the fourth member of their group. Quinn is easily one of the most, if not the most, beautiful people Brittany has ever seen, but that's just the surface. On the inside and who she really is, is a little more complicated. Quinn is contradiction at its finest. She looks the part of the pretty dumb blonde to a tee yet she graduated from Yale at the top of her class. She takes things so very seriously, but has one of the most hilarious senses of humor. She's calm and collected at all times, but when pushed can become so passionate that it's like viewing a hurricane in human form. Quinn will wear a mask of indifference, almost as if she's made of ice but is capable of empathy for those around her like nothing Brittany has experienced before. Quinn reads big books by important people with words Brittany isn't even sure are real, but will still plop on the couch with her Saturday mornings and enjoy some cartoons. Yep her girl is a beautiful combination of contradictions.

With herself, Santana, and Rachel they wear their hearts on their sleeve. You know who you're getting, but with Quinn you have to dig a little. Even after being together for the past 7 and a half years Brittany still feels like she is constantly relearning who Quinn is and even wonders sometimes if Quinn knows herself.

"What's on your mind baby girl?" Quinn asks, startling Brittany out of her thoughts.

"Sorry what?" Brittany asks.

"I was just curious about what you were thinking about, you've been staring for the last ten minutes. You're looking pretty serious." Quinn says with a kind smile on her face. "So what's on your mind?"

Brittany takes a moment to think about her answer before responding. "I guess I was thinking about you."

"What about me?" Quinn asks with a puzzled look.

"Well…" Brittany hesitates for a second, but with an encouraging nod from Quinn she continues. "I was thinking that even after all of these years I feel like I know you better than anyone, but at the same time I feel like I don't really know you at all, like I have to relearn you all of the time. Kind of like this really familiar stranger that I've known all of my life."

Brittany takes a look at Quinn's shocked face and quickly looks down and mumbles a quiet but heartfelt apology. "Sorry, It's not a bad thing… it's just I wonder… The thing is I know who Rachel and Santana are, I know who I am but sometimes I have a hard time getting a read on you. I mean I know you love us and we definitely love you, but your so closed off, and at the same time really open and I don't really know what you're thinking but sometimes I feel like I can read you like a book, and I don't really know what I'm trying to say anymore and I'm sorry and I'm being stupid, I'm sorry."

Brittany has tears in her eyes as she looks at the floor, afraid her musings and her answer have hurt Quinn. That is so not what she was trying to do. She loves Quinn and can't imagine not having her in her life. It's just she has always been able to read people and know them in ways that you wouldn't expect, about how they think and work, but with Quinn she just can't get a read really. And now she's probably hurt Quinn's feelings and made things bad between them_. 'You stupid idiot! Why couldn't you keep your big mouth shut?!' _

Brittany hears some rustling and Quinn getting up_, 'oh great she's leaving. You've hurt her feelings and now she's leaving, you idiot!' _She is surprised however when Quinn comes over to her and wraps her up in a hug. She is wearing that soft smile that she reserves only for their family.

"You know?" she says softly. "I used to wonder who I was all of the time. I think that's why I had such a hard time growing up. Who was I? Was I Lucy, the poor little girl with bad skin and no friends? Was I Quinn, head cheerleader and all around bitch? The dumb blonde or the genius? Fairy princess or wicked witch" She lets out a soft giggle at that and Brittany can't help the smile that comes to her face. "Was I the good little Christian girl who always listened to mommy and daddy? Or maybe I was the stupid knocked up girl teen statistic."

At this point Quinn is gently running her fingers through Brittany's hair in an intimate manner. "And really," Quinn says softly "how could anyone know who I was when I didn't even know myself? So I guess it makes sense that you might be confused about how you see me, but I found my answer, I know who I am." She says with a quiet conviction.

"Would you like to know who I am?" Quinn asks with a smile.

Brittany looks deep into Quinn's eyes. "Yes," the word barely a whisper. She feel's excitement build in her at this chance to get to know her girl a little more intimately, it's also a perfect example of having to always relearn who this girl is.

"I am yours." Quinn states this like it's a simple fact. "I am yours. You and Rachel and Santana are the answer to all of my questions about who I am. I am the girl that you let into your hearts, and because of this I know who I am. I don't need to be anything other than yours. When I succeed, when I fail, good or bad it doesn't matter because at the end of the day I'm yours and you love me no matter what. That's all I need in this world, the rest just doesn't matter, I just try to be the type of person you guys deserve and when I fall short, it doesn't matter because you continue to love me and let me try again."

Brittany looks at her in amazement and can feel herself falling even harder and further in love. Quinn stares right back with love and adoration in her eyes. "I know some people might say that I should find out who I am on my own without you guys, but I say screw them." She gives Brittany a wink and a grin. "I love that its love, your love that guides me." She places a gentle kiss on Brittany's lips.

"Quinn…" Brittany manages to choke out, her heart feeling like it could burst.

"So does that answer your questions or did I leave you more confused?" Quinn asks with a laugh.

"I'm not sure," Brittany giggles "I may have to get back to you, but I think I understand you a little better."

Quinn just laughs again and hugs her a little more tightly and then stands up. "So you want to watch a movie or something else?" Drawing out the 'or' and wiggling her eyebrows when she says 'something else.'

Brittany grins and pulls Quinn back down onto the couch and into her so that she's holding the girl in her arms. "Would you mind terribly if we just stayed here like this for a while?" Quinn shakes her head and rests it against her chest, letting out a contented sigh. "No this is perfect." She says softly. They both just lay there enjoying the warmth of each other and just basking in each other's presence. A little later Quinn is breathing deeply having fallen asleep and Brittany's last thought before drifting off is _'Sleep well, my answer.'_


	2. Wait What?

**I do not own Glee or any of the characters. They belong to somebody else that I don't care to look up. Just know that I don't own it obviously. This is an established Faberritana relationship.**

**The girls are 17-18 in this one.**

Wait What!?

Sue Sylvester was on a rampage, she had just left Figgin's office and after having to deal with that nitwit and one Will Schuester she was in no mood to deal with anyone. Students and faculty alike parted for her like the Red Sea, praying and hoping they did not catch her attention.

'_That stupid, smug, arrogant, greasy, creepy, asinine, immature, callow, juvenile, oblivious (this is very cathartic, I should do this more often) weepy, whiney, soppy, manipulative, butt-chinned, Agoob-Wa*! How dare he, HOW DARE HE!' He hears about her new fantastic idea for the cheerios and goes crying to Figgins. Her and her cheerios bring in more prestige and money to this school than all of the other clubs and teams combined and they have the nerve, THE NERVE, to tell her she couldn't have lions as part of her show! It's not like she wouldn't have had the girls take lion taming lessons… probably.'_

'_Not important, last year it was the canon, and this year it's the lions. What's next?! No jets, no juggling chainsaws! What is this world coming to when you can't have cheerleaders who juggle chain saws?! Well I'll tell you what kind of world that is; it is not a world that Sue Sylvester wants to live in, No. It. Is. Not.'_

'_What I needs is a plan, a plan to get back at that smarmy, wheezy… no wait! This is not the time for that. I need a plan, something to get back at him, something that will hit him where it hurts. Glee club. Yes! That's it, but what? Two years and I still haven't been able to destroy that loser club. What can I do, what can I do that will really stick it to him? Something that will get under his skin, hmmmmm.'_

Sue continued to storm down the hall, lost in her thoughts about how to get back at Will Schuester and that was when she saw them. The plan came to her as if from a dream. _'Perfect, that's perfect! Yes that will do quite nicely.' _Sue Sylvester had found her revenge, and the best part was there was absolutely nothing Schuester could do about it.

*Scene Break*

Rachel Berry felt a cold chill go down her spine as she stood next to her girlfriends. Well secret girlfriends, because as much as she wasn't ashamed to be with them, coming out as a lesbian in Lima Ohio as part of a polyamorous relationship is just not a good idea. Plus it was still all so new, she had only begun seeing Brittany and Santana this last summer and Quinn had only just joined them a couple months ago. So they wanted the time to continue on figuring this relationship out without having to worry about what other people thought. It was weird but also really nice. Her three biggest tormentors had turned into her three biggest fans. She had three people who loved her and cared about her, three people! At times it seemed unlikely to her that she would ever even find one and now she had three. It was always a fear of hers that she would end up alone with like fifty cats.

They were all standing around Brittany's locker getting the last of her things for the weekend. Quinn and Santana were talking and laughing about something that had happened in English today and Brittany was stuffing her books into her backpack. Rachel loved them and felt for the first time in her high school career that everything would be okay_. 'Nothing would break them apart,'_ and that thought brought a smile to Rachel's face.

As they were finishing up at Brittany's locker and getting ready to leave Becky marched straight up to them and with her most authoritative voice said "Coach wants to see you in her office now! Get a move on." And with that she turned around and left.

"What was that about?" Santana asked.

Brittany just shrugged.

"I have no idea," Quinn said "but we had better go and see what's up."

"Fine, let's get this over with." Santana said with a resigned sigh.

As the four of them walked to coach Sylvester's office Rachel couldn't help the feeling of dread that was overcoming her. A meeting between her girls and Sylvester had no chance of leading to anything good. _'Well things have been going so well lately, something was bound to come along eventually.' _As the four girls made their way into the coaches' office Rachel took note of all of the trophies in the room. _'Well I'll give her this she knows how to run a winning team.'_ Coach Sylvester was sitting behind her desk and looked to be writing in a journal of some sort.

"You wanted to see us Coach?" Quinn asked politely.

They stood in front of the desk but were not acknowledged, and as the moments passed Rachel began to get nervous and fidget in place. She looked at her girls to see how they were doing. Brittany was standing straight no movement at all and looked a little scared almost like she was in boot camp about to be addressed by a drill sergeant. Anything that could make Brittany so stiff was definitely a bad thing. Santana stood firm and seemed calm but Rachel could tell by her overly formal posture and the quick shifting of her eyes around the room that she was nervous as well. They met each other's gaze briefly and Santana raised her brow and shrugged her shoulders. Great so Santana had no idea what was going on either. She chanced a quick glance at Quinn who to her great relief seemed bored. She was standing with her arms crossed and with a slight lean towards her right side.

"I said, said you wanted to see us Coach?" This time when Quinn said it she let a little frustration enter her voice, enough to show her displeasure at being ignored but not quite enough to be deemed disrespectful. It was close though and Rachel, Santana, and Brittany all looked at her like she had grown an extra head. _'Don't disturb the Dragon!' _ Rachel thought with no little anxiety.

"Oh Waddles, Sandbags, Blondie, and Streisand I didn't notice you there." Sylvester said with mock surprise. Looking up from her journal and putting her pen down. "So glad you could make it."

"What can we do for you Coach Sylvester?" Quinn asked again raising her eyebrow and once again sounding bored. Rachel had no idea how Quinn could be so calm and sound so casual around the intense woman. She had always been terrified by her and by looking at Brittany and Santana the same was true for them as well. But Quinn just stands there looking as calm as ever and even manages to look slightly disinterested. Both Quinn and Coach Sylvester stare at each other for what seems like hours and the tension in the room grows by the second as the battle of wills continues. Rachel feels sweat begin to form along her brow and she becomes more and more anxious as the stare off continues, a quick glance at the other two girls in the room reveals that they aren't doing much better. As the seconds tick by it is finally Sylvester who breaks the silence.

"I know." She says with a smirk.

"Know what?" Quinn asks with a smirk of her own.

"I _know_." She says again. "I know what you four have been up to, I know everything."

Rachel's eyes widen in shock _'Oh God, oh God, she knows, she knows about us.'_ She hears a small whimper come from Brittany. Santana takes in a sharp breath of air. "How did you know the four of us were together?!" she asks with a scared whisper.

"Ugh, Santana!" Quinn says sounding very annoyed as she lightly slaps the Latina on her arm. "She had nothing on us, she was fishing." Quinn states with an eye-roll.

"What?" Santana asks looking at Quinn with a horrified expression. "What do you mean she had nothing on us!?"

"She means exactly what she said; I had nothing on you… until now." Sylvester says looking slightly shocked and very pleased. "I've got to ask though how did you know I didn't have anything?"

"I was your first ever and only freshmen cheerio captain, do you honestly think I would have been able to accomplish that if I wasn't able to read you and your moods. If I wasn't able to tell the difference between when you bluff and when you actually have something over on someone? Please Coach," Quinn scoffs "give me a little credit."

Sylvester is looking at Quinn with a slightly amused expression. Rachel however feels like she is about to throw up. Coach Sylvester now knows about their relationship, everyone in school, heck all of Lima will know about it by the end of the day. _'Nononononononono, this can't be happening, what are we going to do.'_ She isn't ashamed of being in this relationship, but being outed like this is not okay. When they do finally share what they have it should be done in a way that feels right to them and not at the whims of some madwoman. She can feel the tears begin to prickle at her eyes and her throat constrict.

"Well now that I have something to work with I think I'll make my demands now," Sylvester says, sounding very pleased with her-self. "You are all now on the cheerios. Congratulations go to my office in the locker room and pick up your uniforms. We have a mandatory practice this Monday morning at 6 and now get out." And with that Sylvester picks up her pen and begins to write in her journal again, ignoring the four shocked girls in her office.

Quinn rolls her eyes and says "let's go." She turns around and begins to walk out with a small smile playing on her face and the others follow suit in a slight daze.

"Oh, and Q." Coach Sylvester calls out just before they exit the room "Your captain again."

Quinn stops and looks at Coach Sylvester. "Co-captain with Santana." She arches her brow and gives the woman a look as if daring her to contradict that.

"Quinn." Santana whispers in with gratitude.

"You're pushing it Q, but fine you and sandbags, Co-captains. Now get out of here before I change my mind and place you both at the bottom of the pyramid."

Once they're out of the office her three girls get huge smiles on their faces and begin to laugh and dance around with each other, obviously excited to be back on the squad. Santana is thanking Quinn profusely and Brittany does a cartwheel.

"Wait, how do we know that coach won't tell anyone?" Brittany asks sounding really nervous.

"Shit! Your right what are we going to do?" Santana asks.

"Don't worry about it she's not going to say anything." Quinn says knowingly.

"How do you know?" Rachel asks curiously.

"Because, despite how crazy Coach can be she is still a teacher and she cares about her students. She may lose focus of that, especially when it comes to cheerio's competitions but she is never and has never been malicious or cruel to us." Rachel, Santana, and Brittany all give her a pointed look. "Okay, she has never been malicious or cruel to us in a way that would cause us real harm. Like I said she cares about her students. She just has a unique way of showing it. Besides if she was going to tell or if what we have together did bother her we would have been given an earful back in there. So don't worry about it. She won't tell." Quinn says with a smile.

"Now come on let's go!" Quinn cheers and they begin to head toward the Cheerio's locker room. Once there they start looking through the uniforms to find theirs. Rachel takes a step back and watches her girls with a smile, she is so happy for them.

'_All of that just to get my three girls back on the cheerios!'_ Rachel just doesn't understand that woman at all. _'Still if that's all it takes to keep the woman quiet then I'm not going to complain. Plus despite how much they've complained about it, I know how much being on the squad meant to them and how much they really did love it. Also they can get their popularity back; it's been rough on them since they quit the squad last year because of the whole 'shoot people out of a canon' fiasco. And once they do that then…'_

A horrible thought just entered Rachel's mind_. 'They're going to leave me.'_ Rachel feels her heart break at this. Every time she dates someone and they gain popularity they always drop her to move on to better things. It happened in 8th grade when she went out with George Willis before he dumped her after he joined the football team. It happened with Noah when they went out during that brief couple of weeks in sophomore year. He was no longer on the football team so Rachel was good enough, but as soon as he was back on it, BAM she got kicked to the curb. And Finn, as soon as Finn won that one football game he dumped her to go discover his "inner rock star." They had eventually gotten back together briefly but he then dumped her once again at the end of the school year last year so he could go to all of the summer parties that she wasn't invited to. Jessie too had chosen his popularity over her. Even her biological mother hadn't wanted her and had went out and gotten a new baby. Add to that the fact that she had never really had any friends before and it all became just too much for the tiny diva. _'People get popular and then they move on.' _And with that last thought Rachel falls to her knees, covers her face with her hands, and begins to sob.

Santana was kneeling down in front of her in a flash. "Hey what's wrong?!" she asks as she pulls the girl into a hug. Brittany and Quinn have also dropped down beside her and have placed comforting hands on her as well. But all of this just serves to make the tiny diva cry harder.

"If you're worried about Coach talking I think Quinn is right, she won't say anything." Brittany says in a reassuring voice.

"Yeah Querida, no worries Coach won't say anything." Santana says softly while looking to the others, concern for the girl in her arms evident on her face.

"It's not that!" Rachel wails.

"What is it then sweetie? C'mon talk to us." Quinn says gently.

"YOU'RE GOING TO LEAVE ME!" and with that Rachel wraps her arms around herself and begins to cry even harder.

"Huh?" is the unanimous response from all three girls, confusion all over their faces. They have no idea where this is coming from but with Rachel crying like this there is nothing they can do until the crying subsides. So for the next fifteen minutes they continue to hold her and gently run their hands up and down her back, trying to comfort Rachel. Eventually the sobbing stops and she has quieted down to shaky breathing, slight sniffling, and hiccups.

"Now," says Santana softly. "What's all of this nonsense about us leaving you?"

"It's inevitable," Rachel speaks slowly as if trying to keep it together. "Every single time I let someone get close to me, they eventually decide that they don't want me anymore, or I'm not popular enough, or pretty enough for them, or good enough for them. Everyone leaves me, and now that you guys are cheerios again you're going to be popular again and you're going to leave me too." Rachel's voice gets higher towards the end of that and as she's finishing speaking her voice cracks and she begins to cry again. This time it's a soft crying rather than the heart breaking sobs from before.

"That is not going to happen, we love you and there is not a chance in hell we're going to let you go." Brittany tells her, her eyes flashing with conviction.

"Yeah babe you're stuck with us." Santana is speaking quietly into her ear. "I know we're not the most orthodox of relationships but you're ours. You are in for life. Those others who dumped you are worthless pricks not even worth thinking about. I mean Puck's okay now that he's mellowed out a bit but Jessie was a jackass plain and simple and as for Finn. I think the less I say about him and his moobs the better."

This gets a small giggle from Rachel, and some chuckles from the two other girls. "Have faith in us. I know I'm new to this, but I really care about you and so do the others. We won't let you down like that, because we know exactly how lucky we are to have you." Quinn tells her.

"You guys promise, you really do want me even now that you're going to be all popular again?" Rachel asks meekly.

"We promise with everything that we have." Brittany says with a smile

"C'mon let's get you off of this floor." Santana says while helping the girl to her feet.

"Sorry about this." Rachel says wiping tears from her face and feeling a little embarrassed.

"Don't ever apologize for being real with us." Santana says with a smile. "Please, please always be open with us. Let us be there for you. We want you to be able to rely on us."

"Sans totally right Rach, if you're ever worried about something you can talk to us. We want to hear it so that we can help you." Brittany says kindly.

"I will, and thank you." Rachel beams at them.

"There is one thing that you didn't take into account though." Say's Quinn after a few seconds.

"What's that?" Rachel asks.

"You were worried we were going to leave you because we are cheerios again and that we're going to be popular again right?"

"Yeah," Rachel says softly not sure where Quinn is going with this.

"Well Rachel, you forgot to take into account that you're a cheerio now too, so you're going to be popular right along with us." Quinn says with a wink.

"Oh yeah, that's….." Rachel's eyes widen in horror. "WAIT WHAT!?"

"Yep, don't you remember? Coach asked to see all four of us and told all four of us that we are now on the squad and you didn't raise any objections." Quinn is now sporting a huge grin and she can see Santana and Brittany doubled over laughing at the look of shock and terror on Rachel's face.

"Don't look so shocked sweetie," Quinn says giggling. She, Brittany, and Santana go back to looking for their uniforms still laughing.

"You're joking right? Right!? Guys? Guys please tell me you're joking!"

"GUUUYS!" Rachel shouts with a stamp of her foot.

**A.N. *Agoob-Wa is a Boy Meets World reference and it basically stands for something so horrible you have to make up a word. Also because it isn't quite clear in the story, Sue's plan is to have Rachel in cheerios. By having access to Rachel who is the most talented singer in glee club, she can play on Will's fear of having her quit or lose interest which would be devastating to the club. It's a mind game thing, kind of like hey four of your people belong to me now. And because it's Rachel it will definitely make Mr. Schue nervous. Also I don't hate Finn or Mr. Schue but I am doing the story from the point of view of people who might not be their biggest fans. As for Puck, the guy was a dick in the early part of the first season, it's not till after Beth is born that he man's up. So when Rachel dated him it was pre-Beth so he wasn't the man that he grows to be. And yes Beth did happen, and there will be chapters that deal with that. One last thing, I don't have a beta and I'm not even sure how that even works. But I do reread my story 4 or 5 times checking for mistakes before I post. But sometimes I just miss things but I'll try my best to keep the errors down.**


	3. Can't Breathe

** So you know the drill. I don't own anything, this is part of a series of related one-shots, no particular order, all that jazz.**

**The girls are 17-18 in this one. This takes place after Wait What.**

Can't Breathe

Santana can't breathe. It feels like the whole world is crushing down on her. How could this happen? Her poor angel is in there fighting for her life and she can't do a damn thing about it. She looks around the hospital waiting room, where everyone is gathered, waiting for news on Quinn. To her left is Rachel and Brittany holding each other and crying softly, the loud sobbing having subsided a few hours ago. Puck is sitting next to them with his head in his hands, Shelby sitting next to him holding a fussy Beth. Across the Room is her mom, Rachel's father Leroy and Brittany's parents, talking quietly amongst themselves and shooting anxious glances toward the interior door. Hiram and her papi' are currently in surgery, doing everything they can for Quinn.

The glee club had all been there as well but had been asked to leave because it had been so crowded. Their objections had been loud and angry but they finally agreed to go after obtaining promises that they would be informed of any information as soon as it became available. Santana had been grateful for their love and support but was a little relieved to see them go. It had been just too noisy and too stifling with that many people there.

That left, to her right, Judy. She has a blank look on her face and just stares ahead into space, she hasn't cried once, her fear and anxiety seeming to transcend tears. Oh God, Judy, who had been such a wonderful if not surprising ally when she had found out about the four of them. What must be going through her head as she's waiting for news on her daughter?

Santana reaches out and grabs Judy's hand, whether to give comfort or receive it she isn't even sure any more. Still as she does so, Judy looks at her, her eyes gaining back some life to them. She gives Santana a small pained smile and pulls her into a hug. Santana allows herself to fall into the embrace and once there stars to cry all over again.

This wasn't supposed to happen. This was supposed to be a happy day. They had just won regionals and were having a party at Rachel's house to celebrate with the rest of the New Directions people and their families. This was their year to kick some ass and take some names, and they had done just that at regionals. Once again they had proven that they weren't just a bunch of losers, that they had talent. At some point during the party they had run out of soda and Quinn volunteered to go get some more. It's not like they could have alcohol with the parents there. They were all just laughing and singing and playing so hard that it was forty-five minutes before Santana had thought to ask about Quinn.

'_I didn't even notice she was gone for FORTY-FIVE freaking minutes! Damn it, damn it, damn it. What kind of God awful person doesn't even notice their girlfriend is missing!?'_

When she was on her way upstairs to the _'adult's'_ party to ask if they had seen Quinn she ran into her mom and Brittany's mom Phoebe who both had tears running down their faces. Before Santana could get a word in she had been pulled into a hug and then lead downstairs. Once there they were told Quinn had been in a car accident and that it was very serious, so serious that they weren't sure if she was going to make it, but to not give up hope because her father and Hiram were doing everything they could for her.

Now here she was 1:30 in the morning, five hours later, sitting in a hospital waiting room and pleading to God that he won't take away her angel. She could feel Judy running her hand up and down her back as she sobbed. She could also feel Judy shaking as well and so she wrapped her arms around her in return hoping to provide some comfort in return. She knew it was useless though there would be no comfort until they heard news about Quinn. Hopefully good news.

'_No, definitely good news.'_

They couldn't, Quinn couldn't handle anything other than positive thinking. Still Santana's mind couldn't stop itself from drifting to Quinn's current condition. Opened up, helpless, on a cold surgical table. Her insides all busted up and broken for all of the world to see. She just can't stand it. Quinn was always so strong, the strongest person she knew. And now picturing her just lying there, helpless was heart breaking. No, don't think like that. Something like this won't keep Quinn Fabray down, it just can't.

Her thoughts wondered over to what would happen to the three of them? Herself, Rachel, and Brittany, what would happen if they lost one fourth of their soul? Santana liked to believe that they were all one fourth of the same soul, sent here to earth separated but who had, against all odds, found each other once again. True soul-mates. Yeah it's a sappy thought but she didn't give a damn and her girls thought it was sweet, so whatever. Would they survive something like this? Santana didn't know and didn't want to keep thinking about it. Quinn would survive, no matter what.

Quinn's car had been T-boned on the driver's side by a truck. The driver hadn't been paying attention and didn't even have time to apply the brakes when impact had occurred. He was the one driving recklessly, yet he walked away from the crash with just some minor whiplash and a little bruising. How the hell was that fair_!?_

'_He drives like a maniac, but it's Quinn who is suffering for it. Quinn who is now fighting for her life. Quinn who might not…'_

'_If I ever see the bastard responsible for this I'll give him a real injury.'_ Santana thinks viciously.

A few hours have passed but she isn't sure how many. Time has lost all meaning and she is incapable of any thought other than a continuous prayer of 'please be okay.' During this time she has drifted over to Rachel and Brittany the three of them holding each other and trying not to nod off, determined to stay awake for Quinn. Judy is now sitting over by the rest of the adults between Leroy and Phoebe, who both have an arm wrapped around her. Puck has taken to pacing the room and Shelby has taken Beth home at this point which everyone agreed was a good idea. She would however, be back tomorrow as soon as it was possible.

Its 3:57 in the morning when her papi' enters the room. He is covered in blood, Quinn's blood. _'Oh God, I'm gonna be sick.' _Santana thinks miserably. He looks so somber and so exhausted as he makes his way over to Judy. The rest of the room stands up and makes their way toward him. "It's still serious, she's in critical condition, but she's going to make it." A smile breaks out on his face and the relief is evident in his voice.

'She's going to make it.' That thought replays itself through her head over and over again. Santana has never felt so relieved in her entire life. Quinn, her angel, is going to make it.

**A.N. So in this universe the parents are set up like this. Hiram is a Doctor, specifically a surgeon. Leroy is a defense attorney who specializes in civil rights. They are both played by their canon actors. Santana's parents are also a Doctor and lawyer. With Santana's dad being the doctor and chief surgeon at the hospital and Santana's mom being a lawyer who works for the D.A.'s office. I don't know how accurate that is for them, but that's how it is in this world. Maribel is Santana's mom's name and is played by her canon actor. I haven't settled on a name for Santana's father or an actor to play him. Brittany's mom is named Phoebe and is played by Lisa Kudrow, yes just like friends, and she is a home maker. Brittany's father is named Benjamin and is played by Dennis Leary, he is the local Sheriff. With Brittany being as sweet as she is and considering how Lima is the only explanation I could think of as to why no one picked on her is a combination of fear of Santana and not wanting to pick on the daughter of the guy who could make life very difficult for them. Again I don't know how accurate all of this is when compared to canon but this is what I'm going with for this story.**

**So anyways thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read my story and I hope you are all enjoying it. Oh and I'm sorry this is such a short chapter and I will try to update again soon.**


	4. Ducklings

**Standard disclaimer. I don't own Glee, somebody else does. Blah blah blah. On with the story.**

**The girls are about 5 in this one.**

**Ducklings**

It had been three weeks since she'd moved here and she still hadn't made any friends. She and her family had moved to this stupid town since her mommy had gotten a new job. She missed California and the beach and her friends and the big tree in her backyard that she could climb. Her new yard didn't have any trees, it was just boring.

To help make it up to her, her mommy had brought her to the park. No, it didn't make up for anything, but still at least it was pretty out here and it was spring and the little ducklings in the pond were cute. Her mommy was busy talking to some guy and so she, Santana, had wondered over to the big tree by the pond to watch the ducklings.

_'Stupid Lima bean Ohio, stupid new home, stupid everything!'_

Santana stoops down and picks up a stone and flings it as hard as she can at the pond. The stone hits the water and the ducks make some annoyed quacking sounds but otherwise ignore it. As Santana leans down to pick up another rock she hears a quiet sniffling sound. She looks around and doesn't see anything so she picks up another rock and tosses it at the water again. Once again the ducks only pay slight attention and then go back to their ducky business. This time however she hears an audible gasp and a quiet whimper "No" coming from over by the tree.

"What the heck?"

Santana makes her way over to the tree and on the other side is another girl there. She has bright blonde hair and is wearing a pink shirt with a kitten on it. She's sitting with her knees drawn up to her chest and is holding a peanut butter sandwich. Her eyes are bright blue, very pretty and sparkly, and puffy as she's obviously been crying.

"Hi," Santana said brightly. "I'm Santana, what's your name?"

"Brittany." The young blonde sniffled.

"How come you're crying?"

"Because, there are monsters out there and they're trying to eat me!" Brittany exclaimed while wildly looking around. Santana, following her example, looking around as well.

"I don't see any monsters." Santana tells the blonde.

"They're there, they tried to eat me. So I'm hiding so they can't find me."

Brittany looks like she's about to start crying so Santana sits down next to her and says shyly "Well, I guess I can sit here with you, you know help watch out for the monsters. You know… if you'd like?"

"Really!?" Brittany says excitedly. "You'll really sit with me?"

"Of course silly." Santana says with a smile. "So… I guess we just wait and keep our eyes open."

They sit there for what feels like hours, just sitting there quietly looking for monsters. Well Santana guesses that that's what Brittany is doing anyways. Santana is trying to figure out what to talk about. "Do you want some of my sandwich?" Brittany asks suddenly. "It's peanut butter, crunchy peanut butter. It's really good."

"Sure." Santana says as Brittany tears the sandwich in half and hands it to her.

"Crunchy peanut butter is my favorite." Santana says.

"Mine too."

The two girls smile at each other and begin to eat their sandwiches. Santana is feeling really excited. _'Maybe she'll be my friend!'_ Since moving here this girl, Brittany, has been the only other kid she'd met who hadn't been a complete butt-head. Her brother Anthony had made friends already, this move just seemed to click for him. For Santana however it had been a real challenge. She had played at the playground with a couple of kids since moving here and they were okay. Not great, but okay. The kids in her class weren't even worth mentioning. _'I mean come on! That Hudson kid ate paste, ewww!' _Santana shudders at the memory.

"So what do you like to do for fun?" Santana asks.

"I like to go play at the playground, and the park is pretty fun. Especially in the winter when there's the snow and no monsters. Oh I also like my dance class, it's really, really fun! What about you what do you like to do?"

And so for the next little while Santana and Brittany talked. They shared everything about one another with each other because that's what kids do when they find their best friend. Santana learns that Pokémon is Brittany's favorite show and that she hates strawberry ice-cream. Santana tells Brittany that her favorite color is actually pink, but that she tells everyone its blue because pink is too girly and that she's afraid of spiders. Brittany promises to stop any spiders from ever getting her. "Because you're helping me to look for monsters." They even go to the same school. Different classes, but still they would have recess together. The reason Santana hadn't seen her before is because Brittany liked to walk around by the fence of the school yard and Santana was usually on the jungle gym or playing soccer. They just talk and talk, finding each other to be really easy to get along with.

"So I don't think the monsters are here anymore." Santana says standing up.

"Oh, are you leaving then?" Brittany looks really sad at this.

"No way, why would you think that?"

"Well you said you would sit next to me to help me watch for monsters and now that there aren't any… I don't have a lot of friends." Brittany trails off and is looking at the ground now. This attitude so completely different from the happy and bubbly way she had been when they had been talking that Santana was a little nervous.

"How come you don't have any friends? You seem really nice to me."

"The other kids think I'm weird, they don't really like me." Brittany says with a shrug.

This really pisses… oops, I mean ticks Santana off. How could anyone not want to be friends with Brittany she's super nice. Way nicer than anyone else she's met here. And she's pretty and funny and she shared her sandwich. Which was a crunchy peanut butter sandwich, the best kind of sandwich ever. Liking crunchy peanut butter automatically made you a good person in Santana's book. And so what if she believed in monsters that just meant she would be great at playing adventure. The greatest game Santana ever invented! They could be pirates and knights and fight all sorts of monsters and Brittany would be great at it. She wouldn't have to explain what the monsters were. It was perfect.

"Well I like you and I'll be your friend." Santana says. "Do you… I mean, will you be my friend?" Santana is suddenly very nervous. _'What if she doesn't like me? What if she was just being nice or only let me sit with her because she was afraid of the monsters!? What if she won't be my friend? What if-'_

Santana's thoughts are cut off by the little blonde missile who has attached herself to her. "Of course I'll be your friend!" Santana face breaks into a grin and she returns the hug. They are both grinning at each other. Santana takes Brittany's hand in hers and they begin to walk back over to the pond. Santana wants to show her the ducks and she also has to introduce her new best friend to her mommy.

"Oh no! There they are, the monsters!"

"What? Where!?" Santana looks around but all she can see are her mommy and that guy still talking and the ducks.

"There on the water!" Brittany exclaims.

Santana looks back at the water and see's the ducks and she rolls her eyes and giggles. She pulls Brittany along with her who looks extremely reluctant but still follows. "Don't worry I'll protect you."


	5. Out

** Usual disclaimer, I don't own glee. Okay so this chapter is a little different. It has both a lemon and song in it. As far as the lemon goes, you can skip over it, it's not that graphic and I didn't even mean to write it but it's where the story took me. For those of you who don't want to read it, it's very short and it's marked where it starts and where it ends. It won't be a constant thing that occurs in this story. However because it's there I will be changing the rating of the story to M. Don't worry though most chapters will maintain a T rating.**

**The girls are 17-18 in this. It takes place before Can't Breathe and after Wait What.**

**Out**

Quinn Fabray was not amused and quick glances to her left and right showed that neither were Santana or Brittany particularly thrilled either. And then there was their poor girl Rachel who looked terribly uncomfortable as Finn continued his love ballad to her. This had been going on for two weeks now, ever since Rachel had joined the cheerios Finn had been trying to get back together with her. For two weeks they had to put up with him meeting her at her locker and sitting with her at lunch and interrupting their conversations and asking their girl out. And the worst part as far as Quinn was concerned was that for the last two weeks, almost every day they had to sit through a love song dedicated to Rachel by Finn. Quinn and Santana had been ready to go kick some ass on the first day, but Rachel and Brit had convinced them to keep calm and to let Rachel handle it. Rachel had then proceeded to tell Finn politely but firmly

"_I am sorry Finn but I no longer hold any romantic feelings for you. We had a good run and I hope that we can be friends and continue in that capacity, but I will never date you again and I am truly sorry if I hurt your feelings because I consider you a good friend but we will not be getting back together and I hope that for the sake of our continued camaraderie that you will accept that."_

Well that had been two weeks ago and Finn had only upped his efforts, considering Rachel's initial rejection to be more of challenge to prove himself rather than an actual rejection, and by the end of the first week even Brittany had lost all patience. But, Rachel had asked them to please let her handle it and because they could see Rachel's frustration with the issue and because they knew she did not find it flattering in any way, they let her handle it, only providing silent support from the background. But it had been two weeks now and enough was enough thought Quinn.

The ride to Quinn's house was quiet and awkward. She had told San and Brit that she had a plan and that they were going to meet at her house after school, but she had told them to wait for about an hour because she wanted to talk to Rachel about it first. Brittany had just sighed in relief, glad that they were finally going to do something and Santana had just said "Thank God!"

xXx

So for the entire ride home Quinn had remained silent and whenever Rachel tried to speak up Quinn would give her a look and she would quiet down. "Follow me." Quinn said quietly as they finally reached the Fabray home. Rachel nodded silently and looked a little worried. She knew her girlfriends were annoyed with the whole Finn thing and she was trying to handle it but no matter what she did Finn wouldn't take no for an answer. It was also hard because a lot of the other glee kids thought it was sweet. Kurt had even said, "Come on Rachel, just give him another chance. He really cares about you and it's obvious he's trying. Besides it's not like you're seeing anyone." Rachel had wanted to cry at that. She was seeing someone. Three perfect someone's, but because they were keeping it a secret she couldn't say anything and now she was being looked at as the bad guy in this whole situation. Mean, old, selfish diva Rachel who was tormenting poor, simple, lovable Finn. And now it seemed like her girlfriends were angry at her as well, all because Finn wouldn't leave her alone. _'Well, better get this tongue lashing out of the way, it must be pretty bad if even Santana and Brittany aren't going to be here for it.' _Rachel thought dejectedly.

-***Lemon***-

Rachel got a tongue lashing alright just not the kind she was expecting. As soon as they had crossed the threshold into Quinn's room, Quinn had slammed the door shut shoved her against the wall and proceeded to shove her tongue down Rachel's throat. She ran her hands up and down Rachel's sides and finally settled on her ass where she started to grope and knead it. Rachel moaned into the kiss and tried to return it, but was just too surprised and overwhelmed by the passion Quinn was exuding that is was all she could do to stay standing. When the need for oxygen finally came over them Quinn finally pulled back. Both girls were breathing heavy, Rachel looking slightly dazed. Quinn's eyes had darkened and an aura of want and lust seemed to cover her entire body and Rachel barely managed to gasp out "Quinn?" before said girl had started to attack her neck, kissing and sucking in ways that had Rachel heart pounding like she had just sprinted a mile.

"Quinn… oh God,… Please!"

Quinn however just smirked into Rachel's neck and then proceeded to move upward from the joint of where her neck and shoulder met up along her jawline finally stopping at her ear where she began to nibble gently.

"Oh… Quinn… What's- oh God!... What are you… Ooooh."

Rachel couldn't even finish her thought as Quinn had decided at this point to position her thigh right between Rachel's legs and apply a little pressure. Rachel bucked her hips to try and get a little more friction but Quinn held her in place and then began to slowly increase the pressure and friction by moving Rachel's hips at an agonizingly slow pace.

"Quuuiiiiin…" Rachel whined but was unable to do anything else her mind completely consumed with what Quinn was doing.

"Here's the thing," Quinn whispered in her ear as she gently rocked Rachel's hips controlling the pacing, drawing out Rachel's torment. "I have severe jealousy issues. Like serious jealousy issues. I go crazy whenever I think I'm about to lose something that's mine. It's not one of my finer qualities, I'll admit, and it's a wonder that I don't go crazy every time I see you and the others kiss."

Rachel could only nod and gasp as Quinn began to steadily increase the pressure as she continued to talk. "But, for some reason I don't get jealous or possessive when it's you and Brit or you and San or Brit and San. And I thank my lucky stars for that, that I think it's super-hot when you guys are together rather than it bringing out the crazy. But you see here's the thing, that's just with them. See these last few weeks have been hell for me. Seeing '_him_,' fawn all over you and being unable to do anything about it, being unable to… Claim you."

Quinn had jerked her hips forcefully at that last part and Rachel could feel the pressure building in her core and she knew she was close, just a little more and she would be there. "What… Oh… what do you…Ahhh…mmm, what do you want to do about it?" Rachel finally managed to ask. She could feel Quinn's evil grin as she answered.

"It's simple really."

"Aaaaah…"

"We."

"Oooooh… God!"

"Come."

"Oh God, pleeeease…. Don't … Don't…. Stop."

"Out."

Rachel came hard, her mind not even processing what Quinn had said as she rode out her orgasm. She probably would have collapsed onto the floor if not for Quinn holding her up. As Rachel finally came down, she gave a soft shudder and leaned against Quinn.

-***End Lemon***-

Quinn gave her a soft smile and gently kissed her on the lips before leading her over to the bed. There she lay Rachel down and then climbed in beside her and pulled the girl into her embrace. Rachel still breathing hard rested her head against Quinn's chest.

"So what do you think?" Quinn asked.

"What do I think about what?" Rachel mumbled sleepily.

"About us coming out."

That woke Rachel up immediately. "You want to come out!?"

"Well yeah, that way everyone will know that you're taken, and if somebody doesn't like it or if Finn keeps asking you out I can step in as your girlfriend rather than just a friend. Adds some legitimacy to it." Quinn finished with a smile.

"Oh Quinn, as much as I would love to shout our love to the world I don't think it's wise to tell everyone about our foursome. At least not yet."

"What!? Oh no, no not about our foursome, I figured what we could do is this. We'll come out, you and I. We'll tell people that we're dating and then San and Brit can tell everyone that they're dating if they so choose and we'll pretend to be two separate couples. This way all four of us are covered in the relationship department. And I figured we could all actually go out together and if anybody says anything we can just claim it's a double date." Rachel could feel Quinn shrug at that last part.

"Are you sure you're okay with coming out? With everyone knowing that you're gay. Not only that but that you're dating the biggest loser in school?" Rachel said quietly.

"Okay, first thing, if you ever call my girlfriend a loser again I'm gonna have Santana go 'all Lima Height's on Yo ass.'" Quinn said in her very best Santana impression. Rachel giggled because it was really bad. "Don't laugh cuz' I will endz' you!" Rachel was full on laughing now.

"Okay, okay I won't call your girlfriend a loser again. Just please, pleeease don't ever do that again." Rachel continued to giggle.

"What ev's." Quinn said with a smile and an eye-roll. Her eye's holding a warmth in them that was only ever there when she thought about Santana, Brittany or Rachel.

"But what about the other stuff?" Rachel asked quietly. "Will you be okay with everyone knowing that you're gay?"

"Honestly, I've been ready to come out for a while now. But what about you, are you okay with this? I don't want to force you to do anything especially if you aren't ready."

"I'm okay with it. I mean I want to hear what San and Brit have to say first but if they're up for it then so am I. I am surprised that you're so okay with it though."

"Well what do I care what other's think. I mean my mom already knows I'm gay. Heck she knows about the four of us and she hasn't kicked me out, so I figure since she knows and has been so cool about it that what do I care what the small minded people of this place think about me being gay. I'm just… I'm just tired, tired of having to hide every little aspect about our lives from everyone. I understand the need to keep something's private but I would like to stop having to hide from our families at the very least. If we come out as gay then maybe it will lessen the blow about the four of us being together when you guys finally tell them. You know give them a chance to see how happy we make each other before telling them everything."

"Oh Quinn, you've thought about this a lot haven't you?" Rachel said with adoration and sympathy in her voice.

"It's on my mind all the time, I don't ever want to lose you guys and I'm just, I'm afraid that if we keep everything secret then that will happen. I can't… I can't lose you guys. I just can't." Quinn's voice wavered a little at that last bit.

"Hey you're stuck with us okay so don't worry about that." Rachel said and then gave Quinn a quick peck on the lips. "Wasn't it you who told me that you know how lucky you are to have me? Well the same is true about you. We know how lucky we are to have you and we won't let you go ever."

Rachel and Quinn both smiled at each other the adoration and love easily evident in their eyes. They stayed like that for a few moments before Rachel asked, "When are we going to talk to Santana and Brittany about this?"

"Oh they should be here in ten fifteen minutes."

They stayed in the bed holding each other and sharing soft chaste kisses until they heard a knock on the door. They both sat up as Santana burst in with Brittany following behind.

"Sup, my bitches?" Santana said with a laugh and joining them on the bed. Quinn and Rachel roll their eyes and make room as Brittany shuts the door behind her and follows suit. The four of them cuddle on the bed together.

"You guys had sex didn't you?" Santana says with a knowing look on her face and a mischievous tone to her voice.

Rachel turns red and shakes her head even as a smile crosses her face at the memory. Quinn just quirks an eyebrow and says "So?" Amusement evident in her voice.

"So nothing." Santana says smiling. "I guess I'll just have to get me some Berry-juice later."

Quinn lets out a snort and Rachel gives the Latina a quick peck on the lips. "Does that mean I get some sexy times with Quinn then?" Brittany asks, her eyes alight with excitement at the thought.

"Yep." Quinn says popping the P. She then reaches over and grabs Brittany's hand and places soft kisses over it.

"Well as much as I would love to get my mack on with my girls, Quinn you did say you had a plan to deal with Finnept. So what is it and does it involve beating his dopey face in?"

"No," Quinn laughs. "So here's what I was thinking…"

Quinn begins to tell them about her plan. How she wants them to come out in public as two separate couples and start prepping for coming out completely to their families. Surprisingly both Brit and Santana were completely on board with it. "I've actually been thinking of suggesting this for a while." Says Santana.

"So how do you guys want to do this?" Brittany asks. "I mean what are San and me going to do and what are you and Rach going to do?"

"Well if you guys are okay with it, I think that you and Santana should just continue on as is. Most people kind of assume you're dating. So maybe just be a little more affectionate in public and if anyone asks don't deny it." Quinn says.

"Sounds good to me." Santana says. "But, like Brit said what about you and Rach."

"Weeeell… I was thinking maybe I would sing to Rachel in glee. What do you guys think?"

"Oh my gosh, that would be so perfect! You declaring your everlasting love to me through musical ballad! Perfectly choreographed and performed for the entire world to see! It sounds so so perfect, we just need to decide what song you're going to sing and how I'll react and-"Brittany cut Rachel off with a long deep kiss.

"Well I think the midget approves." Santana laughs. "So what song were you thinking?" Santana asks. Both Brittany and Rachel stop making out and give Quinn there undivided attention. Both eager to hear what she has planned. Quinn smirks and leans into Santana's ear and whispers the song.

Santana starts to laugh and says "Well that will definitely get the point across." Santana keeps laughing. "I totally approve though."

"I thought you would." Quinn says.

"C'mon tell me!" both Brittany and Rachel say.

Quinn leans in and whispers into Brittany's ear her song choice.

"Hot!" Brittany's eyes widen and she smiles.

"Glad you approve, because I want you to help me with the choreography."

Brittany nods her head excitedly and is already running ideas through her mind. Rachel however is not amused at being left out and puffs her cheeks out in frustration. "Come on you guys tell me, pleeease."

"Nope, I want it to be a surprise." Quinn says leaning in to give her a kiss on the lips. Rachel however turns her head in protest and so she ends up kissing her cheek. The three girls smile at Rachel's antics. "So I was thinking I would sing it this Friday, so that gives us four days to prep. Santana you keep Rachel busy, because I don't want her sneaking around to find out." Quinn says.

"Humph! I resent the implication that I would do such a thing!" Rachel says in mock offense. Because really she knows she'll try to find out.

"Resent all you want Rachel Barbara Berry, but we all know that you'll try to find out." Quinn says.

"And how do you expect me to keep Rachel busy for four days?" Santana asks.

"I don't know, get yourself some 'Berry-juice' or something as you so eloquently put it." Quinn responds and then winks at the girl. Santana gets a glazed over look in her eye before giving Rachel a wicked look.

"Oh great, you've unleashed her on me." Rachel says in mock annoyance.

"Hot." Is all Brittany says while Santana responds with a smirk "Oh you have no idea."

xXx

The four days pass rather quickly for three of the girls; Rachel however is dying from anticipation. The only good thing to come from the whole waiting experience is that she had something to focus on while she tried to ignore Finn's advances and song choices. Well that and she got to enjoy Santana's passionate side all week_. 'Not a bad way to be distracted, not bad at all.'_ Rachel allows a goofy grin to cross her face and she sees Santana looking at her. The Latina sends her a wink. They are sitting in glee club waiting for Mr. Shcue to arrive and Rachel can barely contain her excitement. They don't have to wait long as Mr. Shcue comes walking in.

"Sorry I'm late everybody, let's get started." He sounds excited and claps his hands together. "Alright first thing, does anyone have anything prepared they'd like to share with the group?"

"I do Mr. Shcue." Finn says as he begins to stand up.

"That's… that's great Finn, but let's see if anyone else has something to share first, I mean you have sung something every day for the past couple weeks. So somebody… anybody have something prepared, please?" He looks anxious and Rachel is pleased to note that her and her girls aren't the only one tired of the constant stream of love songs.

"I do Mr. Schuester." Quinn says as she raises her hand.

"Oh thank God…*cough* I mean that's great Quinn. So why don't you go first and then Finn can go. Sound good?"

Everyone nodded their agreement though Finn did seem a little confused that he wasn't getting to sing first. Actually most of the club looked confused. Quinn rarely sang on her own. She usually supported solos or did duets and even then only when directly asked. Quinn was actually very self-conscious about her voice and so if she didn't have to sing she didn't want to. Which was a shame because almost everyone in the club agreed she had a beautiful and sultry voice? So whatever had caused her to prepare something on her own must be pretty big.

"Okay, so before I begin I would just like to say that I've been working on this all week and that it's dedicated to someone very important to me. Rachel this is for you."

"The floor is yours Quinn." Mr. Shcue says with a smile. Santana and Brittany smile at each other and get up to provide back up for Quinn. Rachel leans forward excited to hear what song she's going to hear. Everyone else is confused about why Quinn would sing a song to Rachel. Sure the fighting had stopped and they seemed to be friends but they didn't think that they were close enough to qualify for serenading one another.

The music starts and Rachel instantly recognizes the song. She barks out a laugh and covers her mouth with both hands. _'Yep, this will definitely get the point across.'_ Rachel thinks excitedly as Quinn begins to sing.

_**I go ooh ooh, you go ah ah**_

_**lalalalalalalala**_

_**I can't lie lie lie lie lie lie**_

_**I wanna wanna wanna get get get what I want**_

_**Don't stop**_

_**Give me give me give me what you got got**_

_**Cause I can't wait wait wait any more more more more**_

_**Don't even talk about the consequence**_

_**Cause right now you're the only thing that's making any sense to me**_

_**And I don't give a damn what they say, what they think think**_

_**Cause you're the only one who's on my mind**_

_**I'll never ever let you leave me**_

_**I'll try to stop time for ever, never wanna hear you say goodbye (bye bye bye)**_

_**I feel so untouched**_

_**And I want you so much**_

_**That I just can't resist you**_

_**It's not enough to say that I miss you**_

_**I feel so untouched right now**_

_**Need you so much somehow**_

_**I can't forget you**_

_**Been going crazy from the moment I met you**_

_**Untouched**_

_**And I need you so much**_

_**See you, breathe you, I want to be you**_

_**Alalalala alalalala**_

_**You can take take take take take time time**_

_**To live live the way you gotta gotta live your life**_

_**Give me give me give me all of you you**_

_**Don't be scared**_

_**I'll see you through the loneliness of one more more more**_

_**Don't even think about what's right or wrong, wrong or right**_

_**'Cause in the end it's only you and me and no one else is gonna be around**_

_**To answer all the questions left behind**_

_**And you and I are meant to be so even if the world falls down today**_

_**You've still got me to hold you up up**_

_**And I will never let you down (down)**_

_**I feel so untouched**_

_**And I want you so much**_

_**That I just can't resist you**_

_**It's not enough to say that I miss you**_

_**I feel so untouched right now**_

_**Need you so much somehow**_

_**I can't forget you**_

_**Been going crazy from the moment I met you**_

_**Untouched, untouched, untouched, untouched, untouched**_

_**Alalalala alalalala**_

_**Untouched**_

_**Alalalala alalalala**_

_**I feel so untouched**_

_**And I want you so much**_

_**That I just can't resist you**_

_**It's not enough to say that I miss you**_

_**I feel so untouched right now**_

_**Need you so much somehow**_

_**I can't forget you**_

_**Been going crazy from the moment I met you**_

_**I feel so untouched**_

_**And I want you so much**_

_**That I just can't resist you**_

_**It's not enough to say that I miss you**_

_**I feel so untouched right now**_

_**Need you so much somehow**_

_**I can't forget you**_

_**Been going crazy from the moment I met you**_

_**Untouched, untouched, untouched**_

The choreography of the song had been very suggestive with Quinn dancing around Rachel. Twirling and moving in a very sensual manner. It ended with Quinn kneeling directly in front of Rachel with the girl's hands in hers and the blonde giving Rachel a very cocky look.

"*Cough* Um… okay, ummm well I'm, I'm not quite sure that was entirely approp-"Mr. Schue was cut off by the shock of what happened next. Rachel who had been so turned on by the performance had grabbed Quinn by the back of her head and brought her in for a searing kiss. The rest of the club was completely silent, their eyes bugging out of their heads. Except for Santana who was cackling with delight at everyone's shocked faces and Brittany who was giggling. When Rachel and Quinn finally parted all Quinn could say was "Wow." Rachel beamed at Quinn while she recovered from the kiss.

"So," Quinn asks "does this mean you'll be my girlfriend?"

Rachel rolls her eyes. "Of course."

"And did you like the song?" Quinn asked biting her lip in an alluring manner.

"Of course though I will say this, you won't be feeling untouched for long." Rachel says smirking.

This seems to break everyone out of their stupor. "Wait hold up, Haaaaaaeell to the nooo. Since when have you two been so…" Mercedes trails off not quite sure what just happened.

"Gay." Kurt squeaks out still trying to process what he just saw. Sam, Artie, Mike, and Tina also seemed to be trying to process what just happened. Blaine was smiling politely more intrigued than shocked. Puck looked like Christmas had come early if the leer on his face was any indication and as for Finn well.

"So does this mean you don't want to go out tomorrow?" Finn asks with a very confused and troubled look on his face.

**A.N. The song used is Untouched by the Veronicas. The song was chosen because it's been stuck in my head for the past three days and it won't get out.**


	6. As We Wait Together

** Usual disclaimer I don't own glee or any of its characters. So I got a couple of people asking me to cover more of Quinn's accident so I thought I would oblige. The requests definitely got the inspiration flowing. It was always my plan to cover it more and there will be more chapters about it later on. I was just worried about bombarding the story with only that. But send me stuff you want to hear about. I already have some ideas about what I want to cover. Like I have the ideas about how they all got together and those chapters will appear eventually and I have other subjects that I want to expand on, but if you have something you really want to read about leave a review or send a message. Otherwise I'll just continue writing where the inspiration takes me. And of course thank you for taking the time to read my story and I hope you enjoy it.**

**This takes place two days after Can't Breathe.**

**As We Wait Together**

It has been two days since the accident and Quinn still hadn't woken up. Currently it's just her and Rachel in the room with Quinn right now. It's almost eleven o clock at night and Rachel had nodded off about an hour ago and Judy and Santana had briefly stepped out to go grab some coffee. Normally they wouldn't be able to stay this late or with that many people but there were definitely perks to dating the daughters of two of the hospitals doctors, especially when one of those doctors is the chief of surgery. So all three of the girls got to wait and watch over Quinn. Brittany gets up from her chair and walks over to a sleeping Rachel and drapes a blanket over the sleeping girl's shoulders and then walks over to Quinn's bedside.

Looking at Quinn is so hard for Brittany right now. Even in her current condition Quinn is still the prettiest girl Brittany has ever seen but she looks so broken and frail, not at all like her usual strong self, that it's nearly impossible for Brittany to reconcile how she sees Quinn in her mind and how Quinn is now. There are all sorts of tubes and wires connected to the injured girl and Brittany has a hard time keeping track of what they are all for. She has one attached to her mouth that is breathing for her. Another is going into her chest and is draining excess fluids from her lungs. She has IV's going into her right hand that are for medicine and nutrients. Those are just the ones that Brittany remembers. She had been curious about what all of the things did but it was just so much and so overwhelming that she had just stopped paying attention after a few moments. Besides it didn't really matter what they did as long as they did it and it helped Quinn get better.

That was the important thing, recovery. And it would be a long road to that as well. First Quinn had to wake up and all of her bones and muscles and organs had to heal, then came the hard part. Quinn's spine had been damaged in the crash, so badly that there was the possibility that Quinn might not even walk again. Of course they wouldn't know anything for sure until Quinn woke up, which was why it was so important that she did. Brittany and the girls prayed every night and all through the day that she would wake up and that the spinal damage would only be a temporary thing. All Brittany wanted to do was climb into the bed and cuddle with her girl, tell her that it would all be okay. But she can't, because if she climbed into the bed she would hurt Quinn.

'_She shouldn't be lying in some hospital bed with all kinds of tubes coming out of her and looking like this. She should be at home in bed, preferably my bed with her hair all mussed up, eyes half lidded and a goofy grin on her face.' _Brittany allows a smile to cross her face at the thought. The first real one she's had since this whole thing happened.

Brittany gently reaches out and moves a strand of hair from Quinn's face and ever so lovingly tucks it behind her ear, being careful not to touch any of the medical equipment. As she looks at the sleeping girl tears begin to pool in her eyes. She just doesn't understand.

Brittany leans in and presses her lips gently to Quinn's forehead and then pulls back and begins to softly speak. "Hey Quinn it's me Brittany. I don't… I don't know if you can hear me but, but I miss you, we miss you. So you need to wake up okay. We're all…*sniff* we're all feeling pretty lost without you, so you have to wake up now."

"I don't know if I have ever told you this but I've always looked up to you. You're kinda my hero. You never let anything keep you down and you're never afraid.*sniff* I mean I've never met anyone who can stand up to Coach Sylvester like you can." At this Brittany chokes out a sound that is somewhere between a laugh and a sob.

"Even when you got pregnant and were kicked out you still stood so tall, you just raised your head and did whatever it took to survive. I always admired that about you, that no matter what the world threw at you, you always fought right back. And I know that last year you were so sad because you couldn't keep Beth but still *sniff*…still you put on a brave face and did everything you could to put your life back together. And you did it, but then this last summer San and I weren't there for you like we should have been and you got really sad again. When you came back to school you were so different… *sniff* you were so sad and so angry and it scared me, almost as much as I'm scared for you right now. You were just so different and I didn't know how to help you or how to reach you." By this point the tears were freely falling down Brittany's face.

"I thought I had lost you for good and it broke my heart because it would have been our fault, because we weren't there for you. But then San found you again and we got you back, and not only that but we got you back in a way that we never even thought was possible. And it's been fantastic. You've been fantastic and you complete us. I can't imagine what it would be like to not have you, to not be able to call you mine like I can now. You're amazing and I am so lucky to have you in my life. You're the bravest person I know. And I love you so much, and, and… and I can't do this without you, I can't do… anything… not without you. And… and… why did this have to happen?"

Brittany was fully crying now her face scrunched up in agony and powerful sobs wracking through her body. "Why?"

"I don't understand! How could you do this?"

"Why God!? What did Quinn do…*sob* do to deserve this!?"

"I don't understand… *sob* why is this happening!"

"It's not fair, she doesn't deserve this and you have to make her better. *Sob* you have to or you're just being mean and… *sob*it's, that's not fair!"

"Please, please… *sob* I'm begging you, please…*sob*… just please… make her better."

"…Please."

Brittany is surprised when she feels arms wrap around her and turns around to find that Rachel has woken up at this point. Rachel's eyes are watery and she's trying not to cry. Brittany returns the hug and begins to cry into the smaller girls shoulders. Letting out all of the pain and despair and confusion she feels. She feels Rachel run her hands up and down her back and hears her whisper and cry comforting words in her ear. Both girls breaking down again, and trying to draw comfort from one another.

"Why?" Brittany manages to choke out.

"I don't know, I just don't know." Rachel manages to say. "I wish I had some sort of answer for you, or something that would make this whole situation make some sort of sense but… I'm just as confused as you are. I wish I could take away your pain, I wish I could make Quinn better. But I can't, I can't do anything. All I can do, all we can do is be here for each other and especially be here for Quinn. Because, our girl is going to have it so hard when she wakes up, and we're going to have to be so strong for her. Stronger than we have ever been before, and it's going to be tough and it's going to suck but if we stick together and lean on each other and help each other we can get through this and we can get Quinn through this."

"Can we though? What if we can't, what if we're not able to? What if we're not strong enough, or… or what if Quinn never wakes up, what if she doesn't make it!? What then, what happens then!?" Brittany continues to cry into Rachel's shoulder.

"Oh sweetie, don't think like that. Quinn's going to make it, she's too strong and too stubborn not to, she's going to make it she has to. And when she wakes up we will be there for her. We're going to do this, we can do this, because we love each other too much to give up, I know this with all of my heart."

"I'm scared." Brittany whimpers.

"Me too." Rachel says.

"I just keep having all of these bad thoughts. I keep picturing Quinn in her car and getting hit, and I keep seeing her on the operating table and then I see us at her funeral…*sob*… and then I keep imagining bad things happening to you and Santana. And I can't sleep and I'm scared. What if something bad happens to you guys too, what if I lose you guys too?"

"You can't think like that, you haven't lost Quinn she's going to be okay and nothing bad is going to happen to-"but Rachel is cut off by Brittany.

"You don't know that! We didn't think that something bad would happen to Quinn, but here we are! So don't tell me it's not possible, because it is possible and it has happened! So don't… don't say it can't!" With that Brittany buries herself back into Rachel's shoulder and begins to cry with renewed vigor.

Rachel doesn't have a response for this so she just continues to hold her girl and run comforting hands up and down Brittany's back, holding back her own tears, trying to be there for the crying blonde. A few moments pass the only sounds in the room are the quiet beeps of the machines and Brittany's cries which are slowly quieting down. Rachel uses the time to gather her thoughts and waits until Brittany has stopped crying and then finally speaks up.

"You're right I don't know that… and I can't promise something bad won't happen. But, sweetie, we can't live our lives in fear. We have to try and stay positive, it would be so easy right now to give in to despair, but we can't. We have to be strong. I know what you're feeling right now because I see the same things you do every time I close my eyes too. But right now, we're here and we're safe and Quinn is alive and is going to get better and we just have to focus on that, okay?"

"You're right, I'm sorry… I wish… I wish I could be brave like you…"

"Hey none of that, you're doing just fine all things considered. And I'm sure we'll be switching places a couple of times during this ordeal. The important thing is that we keep trying."

"I love you." Brittany says and gives Rachel a small smile.

"I love you too." Rachel replies and then gives Brittany a gentle kiss on the cheek. They both then proceed to give Quinn a kiss on the forehead and then they head over to one of the chairs and cuddle together. Both drawing as much comfort as they can from the other and both trying to reassure each other that everything would be okay.

"Hey guys, room for one more?" They look up to see both Santana and Judy have returned.

"For you? Always." Brittany says with a smile while Rachel nods her agreement. They adjust themselves as Santana joins them. It's a tight fit and not the most comfortable but they make it work.

"So, any changes while I was gone?" Santana asks.

"No, still sleeping." Rachel responds.

"And how are you doing?" Santana asks Rachel. "Is there anything I can do for you?"

"I'm okay as I can be given the circumstances."

Santana then turns to look at Brittany. "And you are you okay?"

"Not really, better now though thanks to Rachel and now that you're here." Brittany says with a small shrug.

"Well if you guys need anything…" Santana trails off. The three girls lean their heads forward and touch their foreheads together.

"You girls are so cute together." Judy says. She is standing next to Quinn and is absentmindedly running her fingers gently through Quinn's hair as she looks at the trio. She looks so tired and she hasn't slept in two days but she still manages a smile for the three girls. "I am so grateful that Quinnie has you girls in her life and thank you so much for being here for her."

"We love her Judy. There is nowhere else we could be." Brittany says.

Judy then gives them a very serious look. She is silent for a couple of seconds but then begins to speak. "I thought I had lost her again this past summer. She came home from New York and she wouldn't speak at all. For almost a week there was just nothing. I was lucky to even get a grunt or a nod. And then suddenly everything changed. She died her hair pink, she wore those dark close, the smoking, and the tattoo, thank God it was a fake, and just the attitude and all of the anger."

Judy then shifts her gaze over to Quinn and it softens. "I didn't know what to do. No matter what I tried she would just rebuke my advances. I was so scared for her and I wish she would have come to me and talked to me, and I know why she didn't. One year of effort doesn't make up for sixteen years of neglect, but still… Anyway it was pretty rough and I had no body to turn to."

Judy then looks at the trio again this time she is smiling at them. "Then out of nowhere three beautiful guardian angels come out of nowhere, they realize that Quinn is worth the effort and they save her. After that first night, the sleep over she had with you, she came home and she… she hugged me and said she loved me and that she was sorry for how she had behaved. She asked for my forgiveness, mine!" Judy laughs quietly with joy at the memory and shakes her head.

"For the first time since she came to live back home she told me she loved me. And I have you girls to thank for that. So thank you, thank you so much for being there for her. Thank you for knowing that the tough front she puts up is just that a front. Thank you for taking the time to break the walls she puts up down. And thank you, thank you for loving her. I don't know how I will ever be able to repay you for what you have done for my Quinnie, but know that I love you all as much as any mother is able to love her daughters and that if you girls ever need anything I will always be there for you."

Not for the first time since they've been there the three girls have tears in their eyes. However unlike all of the other times, the tears were happy. "Judy." Brittany whispers another smile making its way to her face. The trio stands up and slowly makes their way over to Judy. Once there they envelope her in a group hug.

"Of course we fought for Quinn." Santana says. "What other option was there, she was and is an inevitable in our life and no matter what we will always fight for her."

Both Rachel and Brittany nod their agreements. And Judy nods her head in gratitude. "And on a side note, we love you too and thank you for being so awesome about this." Santana says as she gestures to herself and her three girlfriends.

"Yeah totally, what San said." Brittany agreed.

"You're a wonderful parent and Quinn loves you so much and so do we." Rachel throws in.

They stay like that for a while longer once again drawing strength from one another as they stand vigil over Quinn's bedside. But for the first time the air isn't so heavy in the room and for the first time there is a sense of hope and comfort that wasn't there before. Brittany is the first to break the silence. "When do you guys think Quinn will wake up?"

"I don't know, but it's got to be soon. I know Quinn can't stand to be away from you girls for too long." Judy says to the girls.

"I agree." Santana says "Q will be up before we know it. And when she does we'll be right here waiting."


	7. As A Family

**Standard disclaimer, I don't own Glee or any of its characters. This story takes place after the girls have graduated high school but is before the chapter Q&A or is that B. They are near the end of their second semester at college maybe a month before finals so a little over a year since the crash. On My Way aired in February so that's when the crash took place. I don't know if that's canon or not but it is in this story.**

**As A Family**

"So then Rachel just starts screaming!" Santana cackles. "'Get it off, get it off.' Oh man…hehehe, watching scary movies with her is one of the best things ever." She finishes with a sigh. She looks at the screen and sees Quinn smiling politely back. Not exactly the reaction Santana had been hoping for. Quinn had been acting weird all night. She had been quiet and reserved and was behaving like she was sitting through an old Fabray family dinner. It was Wednesday and tonight it was just her and Quinn skyping. Normally Brittany and Rachel would be here at their apartment that the three of them shared while they talked to Quinn who was over at Yale in her dorm room. _"That's right bitches my girls in Yale, suck it!"_ Santana couldn't be prouder. She was studying drama there, and Quinn was finding that she really loved writing plays and directing them and all of the behind the scenes stuff. However it was just the two of them tonight, both Brit and Rachel were out at some play that they both had to see for a class. So they decided to go together. Neither was particularly thrilled with it. "It's kinda boring and the story drags on." Brittany had said and Rachel had actually said "I can't believe I have to watch this shit." Santana, who had been drinking milk at the time, had shot some of it out of her nose. Rachel eyes had bugged out after realizing what she had said, she then turned beet red and covered her mouth with both hands, looking completely horrified. Santana had started to full on belly laugh and Brittany joined her. Rachel, however upon hearing Santana laugh turned to her, stomped her foot and glared at her. "This is your fault! I have been spending way too much time with you and you… you have corrupted me!" This of course had only made her laugh even harder. Oh she loved that little diva.

They were all finishing up their second semesters at their chosen schools. Quinn of course at Yale and Rachel had gotten into some dramatic arts school, NYADA, weird name but I guess it had a stellar program and Rachel seemed happy there… except for that bitch dance teacher of hers and that Brody guy. Okay so Brody wasn't that bad, actually he was pretty cool, but without Quinn there to help with the jealousy issue, being jealous not preventing it, Santana felt it was her duty to be extra… protective, yes that's the word she' s going to go with, protective, of her girls. And since Brits was helping Rach with her moves, the dance teacher whore couldn't complain too much, at least not about the dancing. She still found things to complain about, just not the dancing. Oh and speaking of Brittany her girl had rocked her audition and she had actually gotten a scholarship for Julliard's dance program. _'Both my babies are going to be stars.'_ Santana thinks with pride.

Santana had been the only one of the four to go a little more conventional in her career choice. Lawyer. It had been a real surprise for her too. She had originally just wanted to get her general's out of the way before she decided on a major but she had been late for selecting her classes at NYU that first semester and had to find a class any class that would push her over to full time student status. The only two available that had fit her criteria of not being before ten o' clock were a 'yoga and me class' and a kind of intro to law class. Well she had gone with the law class, because yoga freaked her out, and she had just absolutely loved it. Also Santana figured if her girls were going to be writing and singing and dancing with all of those entertainment sharks out there, just waiting to take advantage of them, well then she was going to represent them. Santana was very protective of her girls and she didn't really trust them with anyone outside of family and maybe the glee club. So she was going to become a badass lawyer and heaven help whatever fool thought they could take advantage of her girls.

That however was still a ways off and tonight was all about her girl who she hadn't seen in person for three weeks. Yeah they skyped every other night, and they called and they texted all of the time. They also had those metro passes but it still wasn't the same as having Quinn there every day and she missed Q terribly. "Okay so, how's the leg?" Santana asked. After the crash Quinn had been paralyzed from the waist down, _'thank God it was only temporary,'_ for about three months. Those had been three of the most difficult months of her entire life and Santana didn't like to think about them if she could help it. She still to this day would wake up in a cold sweat, having dreamed about the day of the accident and the days that followed. The spinal injury had been scary, but it was her left leg however, that had really put a bump in her recovery. There had even been talk of amputation, which had been shot down very quickly, and very fiercely. It had been her father who had made the possible suggestion and Santana couldn't remember in her entire life ever yelling so much at her father or even ever being as mad at him as she was when he had brought that up. He was her superman, but that had just flipped a switch in her and she had gone to town on him. The leg remained, but it had turned the physical therapy from just torture into a tour de force' through the nine rings of hell. Even now Quinn still needed to use a cane if she was going to be doing any prolonged periods of walking or standing. And if the weather was too cold, or too dry, or too anything really it would stiffen up and ache.

"It's okay, I guess, a little sorer than I'm used to but… I actually managed to go all day without needing my cane." Quinn said with a smile though it seemed a little forced. "I guess I'm paying for it now though." Any day when Quinn didn't need to use her cane was a good day as far as Quinn was concerned.

"That's great mi amor!" Santana exclaimed. Normally Santana would have scolded Quinn for pushing herself too hard and for not using her cane but Quinn seemed a little off so she decided to go with a more supportive route. "You're not pushing yourself too hard are you?"

"No, not really." Quinn says her face going from a forced, polite smile to a blank face.

"Hey what's wrong, are you oka-"

"I have to go." Quinn cuts Santana off.

"No Quinn, wait, stay and talk…to…me." But it was too late Quinn had already logged off and left Santana hanging.

"…the hell." Santana instantly picks up her phone and tries calling Quinn but it goes straight to voice mail. She tries again eight more times before she starts texting her. She doesn't get a reply. She spends the next hour texting and calling Quinn trying to get some sort of response and getting nothing. By the time Rachel and Brittany get home Santana was officially freaking out, crying and almost hyperventilating.

"San what's wrong!?" Brittany asks as she and Rachel come over and hug the panicking girl.

"I don't know! It's Quinn, one moment we're talking and the next moment she tells me she has to go and she's logged off and she won't return any of my calls or text's! Nothing! I don't, I don't know what I did!"

"Okay, Brit you go get your phone and try and I'll try as well, and let's see if maybe one of us gets through." Rachel says and Brittany nods in agreement.

"Now Santana, calm down and come with me." Rachel says as she pulls the Latina over to the couch and sits them down with Santana curled up on her lap.

"I'm sure everything is fine, and we'll work this out. Okay?" Rachel says softly to the other girl trying to sound calm and reassuring, keeping the worry out of her voice. Santana just nods and sniffles in response her breathing shaky as she tries to calm down.

"Nothing on my end." Brittany says with a frown as she joins them on the couch. "But I'll keep trying." And begins to type another text into her phone.

Rachel nods and picks up her phone to call Quinn. _"Hi you've reached the phone of Quinn Fabray, I can't come to the phone right now please leave a message-"Rachel_ hangs up and try's again. For the next fifteen minutes both Rachel and Brittany try to reach Quinn, but don't hear anything back.

"Okay that's it! I'm calling Judy and then I'm going down there!" Santana says as she jumps up from Rachel's lap and heads over to the counter where she had left her phone. Just as she's about grab it, it starts playing Untouched, Quinn's ringtone. Santana quickly grabs the phone and fumbles with it for a few seconds trying to calm her nerves before being able to answer. Rachel and Brittany are watching on and share a glance, looking anxious.

"Quinn, baby, please talk to me what's-"Santana speaks quickly but is cut off.

"Please… please don't talk, just, just let me speak." Quinn's says, by the sound of her voice she had been crying recently. "I'm sorry I didn't answer you, I turned my phone off. I'm fine though."

"You're not fine, please talk-"

"Please, just let me speak, I need you to listen, so please don't, don't talk I need to talk right now and I need you to listen, and I need… then I need you to tell Brittany and Rachel, Okay?" Quinn sounds angry and scared right now and it pierces Santana's heart like an arrow. "O..okay." Santana stutters back.

"I… Oh God, I just, I need some time to myself right now. I need to think about me, and what I want for my future, I need… I need you and the others to give me some space. I need to think. So please don't call me, please don't text me. I just, I need to think and I need to see if I can keep doing this and I need to do it on my own and I need you to respect that." Quinn is crying at this point and so is Santana.

"Quinn, baby, please no." Santana sobs.

Santana hears Quinn take a few shaky breathes and then in a calm voice says, "Please tell the others and I'll call you in a few days." Quinn then hangs up.

"QUINN! QUINN! Please QUINN!" Santana then breaks down completely. Powerful sobs wracking her body. She can't breathe. She can't think all she can do is cry out for Quinn and try to hold herself together even as she feels herself fall apart. Both Rachel and Brittany have Santana in a tight embrace both crying and trying to comfort the girl but both fearing the worst. The uncertainty, not knowing what Quinn had said over the phone gripping their hearts like a vice.

"San… San, what did Quinn say?" Brittany asks in a shaky voice.

"She…*sob*… She…*sob*… She said to, to not call her or, or, or contact her…I *sob* I think she's going to leave us!" Santana is unable to get anything else out. She just cries harder and harder and her girls join her. They're losing her. No they've lost her. They've lost their Quinn. Nothing would be okay again, nothing! Santana just wants to go crawl into a corner and die.

xXx-Scene Break-xXx

The next five days pass in a blur. Each minute running into the other. The girls honor Quinn's request and don't call her or contact her, though it's killing them inside. Rachel hasn't sung once and just stumbles from room to room looking lost. Brittany either stays in bed and cries or goes to the studio to dance only returning home when she is too exhausted to stay awake. Santana alternates between long bouts of soul consuming despair and quick moments of white hot rage. It's Monday and Brittany and Rachel are in class. Both trying to keep their minds occupied both trying and failing to not think about what they've lost. Santana has decided to skip her classes, she just doesn't care. Quinn was leaving them and nothing else mattered.

_'I can't believe it's over. After everything we've been through, and it's over, she's calling it quits.'_

_ 'No… no…NO, NO, NO, NO! This is not how this is going to end! In fact it's not going to end at all! I'm going to go down there right now and beat some sense into her! I'm going to get our girl back and I'm going to set this right!"_ Santana gets a determined glint in her eye. She writes down a quick note for Rachel and Brittany and then grabs her metro pass and storms out the door. As she slams the door shut and starts to lock it she looks down and to her right. There sitting on the floor, hugging her knees to her chest is Quinn. She is wearing her NYU sweat shirt; each of the girls had a sweat shirt for each other's chosen schools. She's wearing sweat pants as well. Her hair is all messed up and slightly greasy, like it hasn't been washed in a few days. She's wearing her old sneakers and next to her is a full duffle bag with her cane propped up against the wall. Her eyes are blood shot and have dark bags under them and she looks ghostly pale. Quinn is looking up at Santana and she looks so scared and so pathetic right now, that Santana feels all the anger drain out of her.

"Quinn," Santana takes a seat next the girl "how long have you been here?"

"A couple hours." Quinn shrugs her shoulders.

"How come you didn't come in?" Santana asks uncertainly. She hates that, since when is she ever uncertain about anything.

"I didn't think anyone would be home right now… and I forgot my keys." Quinn says with a weak smile.

Santana smiles back, but her lips begin to quiver and before she knows it she is hugging the blonde and crying into her. Quinn hugs Santana and whispers to her. "Hey, hey now, why are you crying?"

"I… thought you, I thought you were leaving. I thought you were leaving us and I wouldn't ever see you again."

"What!? No, never! I could never leave you guys, I love you. You're my everything. I'm nothing without you. Where in the world did you get that idea?" Quinn's really confused she doesn't recall saying anything about leaving them, God no.

"I just thought… well, you said you needed time to think, and, and not to call you. And you said you needed to see if you could keep doing 'this' so I thought you meant, well "us." And then you hung up and… and we didn't hear from you again so… I thought… we thought the worst"

"Oh sweetie, no, I'll always need you, I'm not going anywhere. I was talking… talking about something else. I will never ever leave you though."

Santana nods her head and then pulls back from the hug. "Well then what were you talking about?"

"I'll talk to you about that later, it's not important right now. What is important is that you thought I was leaving." Quinn reaches out and takes Santana's hands in her own and brings them to her lips and places gentle kisses on them. "God, I can't even imagine what you guys must have been going through. I am so, so, so sorry I made you guys think that."

"It's okay." Santana whispers, completely forgetting the hell that these past few days have been. The relief, the joy that Quinn wasn't leaving them pushing all other thoughts and feelings from her heart.

"No it's not okay." Quinn says with a sad smile and a shake of her head." I should have been more clear. I am so sorry. Come on, let's get up off this floor and out of the hallway and I'll start making it up to you." Quinn's smile changes from sad to seductive.

Santana's mind however is stuck on 'get off the floor.' "Oh Quinn, I'm so sorry, I wasn't even thinking. Your leg, oh man you must be in so much pain right now!" Santana jumps up quickly and helps Quinn to her feet.

"It's fine, it doesn't hurt." Quinn says but Santana just gives her a pointed look. "No really it's fine San. Let me grab my bag and we'll head inside." Santana however quickly reaches around Quinn and grabs her duffle bag and shoulders it. She then grabs Quinn's cane and offers it to her. Quinn gives the cane a look, like it's her mortal enemy but still takes it. This more than anything that Quinn could say tells Santana that Quinn's in pain. She hates that thing. They head inside and Santana leads Quinn to the couch and then hurry's and drops the duffle bag in her room, sends a quick text to Brittany and Rachel to come home quick, before rejoining Quinn. She sits down next to the blonde who begins to lay back on the couch pulling the Latina with her. Eventually both are lying on the couch with Santana laying on top of Quinn looking up into her beautiful hazel eyes.

"I am so sorry." Quinn whispers and then begins to make out with Santana.

"It's."

*Kiss*

"O,"

*Kiss*

"kay." Santana responds, more focused on the taste of Quinn's lips than anything else. She runs her hands underneath Quinn's sweatshirt and t-shirt and up along Quinn's toned stomach and then up further until she palms the girl's breasts. She is pleased to find the blonde is not wearing a bra. "But what were you talking about?" Santana asks as she quickly removes Quinn's sweatshirt and t-shirt. She then sits up straddling the blonde and removes her own top. "We'll talk about that later. Right now, I have a lot of apologizing to do." Quinn says with a smirk and then quickly sits up, pushes Santana on to her back and then closes in, a hungry look in her eye.

xXx-Scene Break-xXx

Santana regains coherent thought sometime later. They were however no longer on the couch, but lying naked in Santana's bed. Santana snuggling into the crook of Quinn's neck and enjoying the warmth emanating off her body. She lets a Cheshire grin spread across her face. Santana would definitely say that this had been one of her more satisfying experiences and that was certainly saying something. But Santana knew a diversionary tactic when she saw one and now that they had had their fun it was time to get down to business. "So… Quinn?"

"Mmmhmm?" The sleepy blonde mumbled, lightly running her fingers up and down Santana's side.

"What's going on? What happened?" Santana could feel the blonde stiffen briefly and halt her movements for a second. Santana didn't need to see the girls face to know that she had a look of surprise on it and that it would quickly be schooled off. Santana was proven right when a couple moments later Quinn continued her ministrations. And spoke in that overly calm voice she got whenever she felt backed into a corner.

"I'm dropping out of school." Quinn tries to say as nonchalantly as she can, as if commenting on the weather. Santana however couldn't believe what she had just heard. She pulls away from Quinn and sits up and looks at the girl in shock.

"What! Why!?" Santana asks. "You've always wanted to go to Yale. You love it there and you worked so hard to get in. So why, why would you want drop out? It's your dream." Santana is so confused. "Are you having trouble with your classes, or… or is somebody bothering you? Tell me, let me help you but don't, don't just drop out. At least not until you've talked with someone first."

"Oh San," Quinn sighs and rolls over onto her back and folds her hands behind her head. She stares straight up not letting any emotion show on her face. "Look this is why I didn't want to talk to any one while I was deciding this. I knew everyone would try to talk me out of it. Yes, Yale was my dream, yes I've wanted to go there since I was little. It's great really, I love it there, but it's just not a good fit anymore. Okay? Things change, people change, and dreams change and quite frankly it's nobody's decision but mine." Quinn had started off calm at the beginning of her speech but by the end of it sounded angry.

Santana knew she had to proceed carefully at this point. If she didn't handle this just right then Quinn would just close up and it would be weeks before she could try again. "You're right mi amor, of course you are. It's your life and if you don't think Yale is a good fit any more then it's not." Santana watched as Quinn visibly relaxed at that. "But Quinn, and I need you to look at me for this." Santana waits for Quinn to turn and look at her before she continues. "Quinn I will always support you one hundred and ten percent, I'm just trying to get inside your head. Understand what your thought processes are. What's changed, why isn't it a good fit anymore? Help me to understand baby."

Quinn looks a little annoyed now. "Really, what's changed? Come on Santana do I really have to tell you why it doesn't fit anymore!?"

"Quinn?"

"Wow, you're really going to make me come out and say it aren't you? Fine. I'm dropping out because of this, because… because of us okay! Yale would be great if it was just me and I didn't have anything else in my life. But I got together with you three and I miss you guys so much, and I just can't be away from you guys anymore. It's too hard. I thought I could do it and I've tried but I can't. So I'm dropping out and that's that. I'm choosing between you and Yale and it's not even a close contest. I choose you guys." Quinn's voice is as steady as ever but there are tears running down her face.

"Quinn no one is making you choose between us and Yale. We know how important it is to you and we'll be right here waiting for you. You can do both, we're not going anywhere." Santana says, still trying to wrap her mind around where Quinn is coming from.

"That's just it! You guys are 'all' here 'all' together, here in New York! You guys get to see each other every single day and every single night! You can talk to each other whenever you want, hold each other whenever you want, and just be together whenever you want. And me, HA, me I'm stuck in fucking New Haven! You guys are all together happy and you're creating all of these new memories together and, and I'm stuck there and…It's so much harder than… *sob* than I thought. *sob*and, and I'm all alone…*sob*… and, and you, you all, you're moving on without me!" When Quinn finishes speaking she curls up into a ball and continues crying.

"Oh Quinn…" Tears are streaming down Santana's face. Her poor girl, it was so hard for the three of them to be without her, she didn't even stop to consider how much worse it would be for her girl. The phone calls and the skyping and the texts and the occasional visit didn't make it any easier for them and they were together. And her girl had spent the last two semesters facing that alone. Add on top of that her ongoing physical recovery and it was amazing that her girl had lasted this long. Santana adjusted her position and places herself so that she can place Quinn's head on her lap. She then begins to run her fingers through Quinn's hair in a comforting manner. "Quinn I am so, so sorry. I didn't even think of it like that. You're right, I thought it was equally hard for all of us but you're right. You are there all alone and we're here all together. But Quinn I'm not going to let you give up Yale."

"Please I have to, I can't…. I can't…" But Quinn is unable to finish speaking.

"No shhhh, let me talk now okay?" Quinn continues to cry but nods her head to show that she's listening. "We really dropped the ball on this one Q. I don't know how many times I'm going to have to apologize for this but it won't be enough. We really let you down on this. We thought the phone calls and occasional visits would be enough and it isn't, is it?" Quinn shakes her head no.

"So here's what we're going to do. You are not going to drop out of Yale-"

"Please San, no please I need you guys, please, don't make me leave!"

"No sh, sh, sh, it's my turn to speak and it's your turn to listen. You are not going to drop out of Yale, and I was thinking maybe I could follow you back to New Haven and you know, live there with you. How does that sound? I'll leave New York and come live with you."

Quinn abruptly sits up and stares at Santana with wild and surprised eyes. "WHAT!? No San no, you can't drop out of NYU, you love it there, and you love it here in New York with Brit and Rachel. I can't let you give that up for me. Me moving here makes the most sense and, and it works out better for everyone!"

"Okay first, I'm not dropping out of school. I was thinking more of a transfer to a school closer to you. And who knows my grades are pretty good, maybe I could get into Yale with you." Santana smiles as she says this. _'It's worth a shot.'_ "And second of all your decision doesn't work out best for you. You can't give up Yale for us, it would bother you so much. It would eat you alive inside and you would resent us for it eventually."

"And how do you know that transferring out of NYU won't do the same to you, how do you know that moving won't do that to you?" Quinn challenges.

Santana just rolls her eyes. "Because Quinn, NYU and New York were never my dream, not like Yale was your dream, or Julliard was Brittany's, or New York was Rachel's. Those were all your guys' dreams. Mine was never like that. I didn't care how or where to when I got out of Lima, just that I did. My dream was you guys. Living with you and being with you and being a family. You know happy. And if one of you isn't happy then my dream isn't happening. I'm not saying it's not a big decision, and I'm not saying there won't be difficulties, but it's an option, so just think about it."

Santana waits for a few more moments for Quinn to calm down before bringing up another issue. "And really, how come only you get to make these kinds of decisions for us huh!? Especially without talking to us beforehand, because before any real decision is going to be made we need to talk this out as a family, you know the four of us, together." At this Santana give Quinn a slight look of rebuke and allows a little annoyance to enter her voice at Quinn for not discussing this with them. Quinn dips her head in shame, feeling guilty, knowing that it was wrong of her to decide something like this on her own.

Santana reaches over and gently lifts Quinn's face so that she is looking her in the eyes. "You understand that doing this on your own, without talking to us first was wrong, right?" Quinn nods her head her lip starting to quiver, hating that she had acted so selfishly. "You said that the decision to drop out is ultimately yours and you're right, but only partially so. The decision is ultimately yours but you are part of a relationship and you owe it to us, you owe it to us! To include us in your decision making process, to include our thoughts and opinions when you are making such a big decision. The same way that we owe it to you, to include you when we make big decisions. Because what one of us does will affect the others. When you're feeling like this, when you're hurt like this, you need to come to us. You need to talk to us. Most importantly you need to let us help you. You can't just run off and do things on your own. When you make this kind of decision and don't include us it's telling us that you don't trust us. You can't just make these kinds of decisions on your own. That's not how relationships work, and certainly not this one."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Quinn cries flinging herself into Santana's arms, bawling.

"It's okay Amor, its okay. Apology accepted." Santana whispers into Quinn's ear. "I love you, so much you know that right?"

"Mhmm. Love you too." Quinn mumbles.

"And you do know that you also owe an apology to Rachel and Brittany right?" Quinn still crying nods her head into Santana's shoulder. They stay like that for a while, until Quinn calms down and then they lay back down together sharing soft touches and gentle kisses.

"Nothing is decided yet, okay Quinn? We'll talk this over as a family with Rach and B when they get home. We'll work something out that works for all of us, but you are not going to give up Yale. Understand?" Quinn nods her head and then nuzzles into Santana.

"I don't want you to have to leave New York San." Quinn whispers. "I know you said it's not your dream, but I also know you love it here in the city. So if I can't leave Yale then you can't leave here. I'll just suck it up or something, you know cowboy up. But please don't give this up for me. I won't let you, I won't."

Santana rolls her eyes and smiles at Quinn. She knows that they could argue this back and forth until they're both blue in the face and still not reach a decision. "Like I said Q, nothings decided yet. We have to wait for our girls. Then we can talk it out, but not until then okay?" Quinn nods her head in agreement. "Now no more discussing this until the others get back." Santana says firmly. Quinn just nods her head again, content to wait in her girls arms.

**A.N. Okay so two things; One I am not actually all that happy with this chapter. But it's been in my laptop for a couple of days now, and it doesn't seem to matter what I do to it, I'm still not satisfied with how it turned out. I don't want to delete it either. There are a couple of Santana and Quinn moments in it that I absolutely love. So I've decided to just post it and I hope you can all forgive me if this chapter doesn't meet expectations.**

**The second thing I want to say is I actually had some of the upcoming discussion between the four of them typed up, but found that it really affected the flow of this particular story, and with it there it took away from the whole point of this chapter, which was to have a one on one interaction between Santana and Quinn. To show the relationship between those two rather than just mentioning it. For those of you who are curious about how the talk between the four of them goes and what will happen because of it don't worry. It will have its own chapter. I just didn't want to tack it on to the end of this one because as I said it disrupted the flow of the chapter, and also because I think it deserves its own chapter. So expect that to show up sometime in the near future.**


	8. Funeral

**Standard disclaimer I don't own Glee or any of its characters. I apologize in advance this is not a happy chapter, but I must go where the inspiration takes me. It takes place before ****Q&A or is that B**** and after ****As A Family****.**

**Funeral**

The girls were all sitting on the floor in the living room of their apartment. The lights were off and they had pillows and blankets strewn around them and had turned the floor into an almost makeshift island bed. They were all lounged about in a comfortable tangle of bodies and limbs watching some old black and white film. It was a little silly of them really. They had a perfectly fine couch to sit on that they had spent three miserable hours trying to decide on before picking it. But when Rachel had suggested this instead, all of them had jumped on board. It was silly and it was fun, and it was turning out to be a great way to unwind after a busy day. Santana was currently resting with her head lying on Brit's stomach, paying more attention to and enjoying the gentle rhythm of her breathing than the movie.

It was summer and they were enjoying being all together again. With Quinn at Yale the four of them weren't together nearly enough. It was a struggle, that first year apart especially had been hell, but they worked through it and it was all going to pay off because Quinn would be graduating at the end of the next semester and would be moving in with them permanently in just a few short months.

Brittany too would be graduating this next semester, only she would be doing it with a degree from Julliard. Brits had wowed them at her first entrance audition and hadn't stopped wowing them since. She had really begun to make a name for herself as a fantastic dancer and choreographer and already had a few music videos under her belt.

Rachel and Santana however would not be graduating this year, though for two different reasons. Rachel had been cast as the lead in a play her sophomore year. It had done so well that the play had been picked up on Broadway and Rachel had actually earned her very first Tony award because of it. However the play had just consumed so much of Rachel's time that she had to drop out of NYADA, a not uncommon occurrence at the school. Rachel had just finished her second and final year in the role and was now looking for other work. She had quite a few offers on the table for different plays, but was thinking of trying her hand at film. She had been offered the lead and title role of 'Alicia' the story of a Polish ballet dancer set during World War Two. It was based on a true story and was supposedly very powerful and moving, a tragedy and a triumph of the human spirit all in one. She seemed to be the most excited about this role and so she would probably be doing that in the next couple of months. Rachel's star was on the rise and she was well on her way to becoming a house hold name.

As for Santana, well she still had three years of law school to go. She had stumble into that career choice quite by accident, but found that she absolutely loved it. So she was going to take her time, enjoy the ride and when she finally graduated, come out swinging.

It was a peaceful night at home, just her and her girls which was why it irked Santana when someone decided to call them at eleven at night. It wasn't any of their friends or family members. They would know to call them on a cell, not their land line. All of the girls let out a groan at being disturbed and Quinn began to get up.

"Stay there, I'll get it." Rachel told her. Santana hit pause and they waited to see what was up.

"Hello." Rachel answered in a friendly tone, much friendlier than Santana would have answered with.

"Yes she's here, may I ask-"Rachel was cut off.

"Well, my name is Rachel and-"

"Okay fine I'll get her." Rachel pulls away from the phone looking very annoyed. "Quinn it's for you, it's some lady, she won't tell me who."

Santana and Brittany both jump up to help Quinn stand. Her leg had been bothering her again today and they didn't want her straining herself. Quinn gives them an eye roll while smiling at them, showing her gratitude while still letting them know she thinks they're being silly. They didn't care though. After the crash Quinn had spent months recovering in a wheel chair, even graduating high school while in one. She had then spent her last summer vacation before college doing physical therapy trying to learn how to walk again. She finally lost the chair during her freshman year of college. Still, even now she needed to use a cane when she was going to be walking for any prolonged periods of time. While her spinal injury had been serious and scary it was her left leg that had really taken a beating and it would never fully recover. So any time any of the girls could do something to help Quinn out they did it, no matter how big or small. Not that Santana couldn't understand where Quinn was coming from; the three of them could be quite the mother hen's at times.

"Who is it?" Quinn asks as she reaches for the phone.

Rachel just shrugs her shoulders and hands it over to Quinn. "I don't know but she's definitely one of the most unpleasant people I have ever had the misfortune of speaking to. She was incredibly rude."

Quinn quirks her eyebrow at that as she takes the phone. Santana feels a smirk form on her face when she sees that and looks over at Brittany to see the amusement in her eyes. Whoever was stupid enough to call them this late at night and be rude to their girl was about to get a heavy dose of HBIC a la Quinn.

"Alright who the hell is this and what the do you want?" Quinn asks, the authority and power in her voice still there, just like it was back in high school. Santana loved it when Quinn got like this, it was such a turn on.

"Fran!?" they hear Quinn say in a shocked voice. All amusement at the situation flees from Santana and Brittany in an instant. Unpleasant was right, Francine Fabray was about as unpleasant as they come. She was Quinn's older sister and had been a real bitch as long as Santana could remember. I mean she hadn't even bothered to visit Quinn after the accident. Not even a phone call or a lousy get well card. Santana knew for a fact that this was the first time Quinn had heard from the girl since being kicked out for getting pregnant. Hell even Judy hadn't gotten a call since the divorce. So whatever reason she was calling for now didn't bode well for Quinn and by extension them.

"Fran? Who's Fran?" Rachel asks them.

"Francine is Quinn's older sister." Santana absentmindedly answers. Focusing on Quinn and trying to gauge how she was doing.

"Quinn has an older sister!?" Rachel asks is shock.

"Unfortunately." Is Brittany's dark reply. This gets a surprised look from the tiny diva. Brittany never had anything bad to say about anyone. "Quinn and Francine don't get along and haven't spoken in years. Though Quinn has tried calling a few times. So the fact that she's calling here, now, probably doesn't mean anything good."

"Well, maybe she's calling to make amends." Rachel says hesitantly, not really believing it but trying to put a positive spin on the situation.

Santana scoffs at that and Rachel gets a hurt look on her face and turns away from her. Santana's face softens into an apologetic smile as she turns to Rachel and she places her hands on the girl's shoulders gently turning her back so that they are facing one another. "Sorry, that was mean. I'm just nervous and I shouldn't take it out on you. I love that you're trying to see the best in Fran, but I'm telling you the best isn't there and this is only going to hurt Quinn."

Rachel nods her head in acceptance of the apology and then turns to look at Quinn who is looking increasingly agitated as she listens to the other girl on the phone. After a few minutes of just nodding her head and the occasional "mhmm," Quinn snaps, "Okay! Just shut up for a second. Just shut up and hold on for a second!"

She then proceeds to cover the mouth piece with her hand and then turns to her girls with an apologetic expression. "I'm sorry, but this could take a while. Why don't you guys finish the movie without me and I'll take this in another room. I'll join you as soon as I can." Not giving the girls a chance to protest Quinn goes into her room, the door slamming slightly behind her.

"Damn it! What the fuck could she want!?" Brittany exclaims as she begins to pace nervously around the room.

Rachel feels really anxious right now. Brittany, like herself hardly ever swears, usually only a slip up here or there. "I don't know." Santana replies, but she doesn't sound angry just resigned. She heads over to the counter, sits down and holds her head in her hands.

"Guys, you're really starting to scare me. What's so bad about Quinn's sister calling? I know you said they didn't get along, but it can't be that bad can it?" Rachel asks.

Santana turns to look at Rachel with a pained smile on her face and motions for Rachel to join her. "Sorry querida, I keep forgetting that you didn't know about Fran." As Rachel joins her at the counter Santana reaches out and grasps the other girl's hands in her own.

"So, Francine is Quinn's older sister and they don't get along-"

"You've said that part already." Rachel interrupts.

"I know that, but what you don't know is how much Quinn used to look up to Fran and how much she used to idolize the girl." Santana continues softly. "A lot of how Quinn behaved in high school was her trying to imitate and live up to Fran. She has always had a way of getting under Q's skin and making her believe the worst in herself. She would always put Quinn down, make her doubt herself, and if Q did something well, Fran would be right there to underplay it."

Rachel looked horrified at this. "But why? Aren't they sisters? Wouldn't Fran want to support Quinn? I mean I know you and Anthony fight sometimes but he always seems so supportive of you. Isn't Fran like that?"

"Oh sweetie, you should have seen some of the fights Anthony and I got into." Santana says with a chuckle. "I think we set the bar on sibling rivalry. But you're right, when it came down to it I've always known that he loves me and that he has my back and I'm the same for him. For Quinn and Fran though it wasn't like that. Fran is very much her father's daughter, I know you've never met Russell but you've heard about him and that should give you an idea of what she's like. And they didn't fight, not like Anthony and me or Brittany with her brothers and sisters. No it was always more subtle than that and Quinn didn't really notice it. Not for the longest time. Like I said she idolized her. But Brit and I did notice and we always felt so uncomfortable when they were together. She always had these little left handed compliments for Quinn, and Quinn didn't really pay attention to how mean Fran was being, she just thought she was getting her sisters approval"

"What do you mean?" Rachel asked her voice wavering slightly.

They hear Brittany snort in derision. "Tell her about when Quinn made Cheerio captain her freshmen year."

"Oh right," Santana says, instantly recalling the memory. "Okay so the three of us had all tried out for Cheerios, and we had all gotten in. Of course we did, we were shoe in's. I mean have you seen us?" Santana asks with a cheeky grin causing Rachel to smile warmly and nod her head for Santana to continue. "Okay so we worked super hard and perfected one of the tryout routines that Sylvester had set up and we nailed it. But Quinn went the extra mile. She actually went and memorized a second routine. The previous year's championship routine to be exact. And then she challenged the current head cheerleader for her spot. Right there in front of Coach and the entire squad." Santana giggles at the memory and shakes her head fondly. "Well as you can imagine that didn't go over all that well with most of the squad. Oh what was that bitches name? Jessica… Jamie… Whatever the bitch threw a fit. Started yelling and trying to throw her weight around. Told Quinn she was off the squad and that she would make her next four years a living hell. But Sylvester must have appreciated the nerve it took to do something like that because she had them to proceed."

Rachel smiled at the image in her head of a younger Quinn arching her eyebrow, hands on her hips, daring anyone to deny her the right to rule. She noticed that both Brittany and Santana were smiling at the memory too. "Well Quinn wiped the floor with her. I mean that girl was good, she had to be she was captain, but Quinn was on a whole other level. Coach made Quinn captain then and there. She was so excited and we were so proud of her-"

"And jealous." Brittany intervened as she gently nudged the Latina in a playful manner. She had wondered over to the other side of Santana during the story.

Santana rolls her eyes and tried to look annoyed but couldn't keep the smile off her face. "And jealous," Santana concedes. "How could I not be, the bitch had just shown us up." Santana laughs.

"Francine must have been so happy for her too right?" Rachel asked, hoping that they would confirm this statement but knowing that they wouldn't.

"You would think so." Santana says her mood dropping, remembering the reason for telling this story in the first place. "We went straight to her house and her parents were as happy for her as they were able to be. Russell, I'm sure, just appreciated what this did for his image. And Judy… well Judy wasn't always the woman we now know and love. Quinn didn't really pay too much attention though. She wanted to call Francine and tell her the good news. When she finally got to make the call she put her on speaker phone, she wanted to share her news with her big sister, with her best friends there. When Francine answered and Quinn told her what happened there was a really long pause." At this point Santana's voice was no longer calm and steady, but had adopted an angry tone instead. "Brits and I were worried, we knew how Fran treated Quinn but we had hoped that it would be different this time. Quinn however didn't pay it any mind and asked her excitedly 'Well isn't this great!?' And I will remember her response for the rest of my life. Because the look of hurt and disappointment on Q's face was seared into my memory forever. She said with very fake enthusiasm 'That's great Quinn, I'm so proud of you! I mean I'm sure you'll mess it up eventually but for now enjoy it! You sure have come a long way from Lucy-Caboosy.'" Santana was shaking slightly at this point and Brittany was trying to but failing to calm her down. Her own anger at the memory evident on her face. "Up till that point I had tried to like her for Quinn's sake I really did but that… that sealed the deal for me. I hated her and I will always hate her, especially her, for Quinn's sake. Because despite everything… Quinn never will."

Rachel felt gutted for Quinn. Rachel had seen the look on Quinn's face when she was hurt and it was one of the most heartbreaking things she has ever witnessed. She was even ashamed to say she had caused that look on a few occasions back in high school. But that, that was on a whole different level. She couldn't comprehend how someone could do that to someone else. Especially their own sister. Rachel was an only child and had often dreamed of having a sibling, but now she found herself relieved. Because what if she had had a sibling like that. "How…,"Rachel's voice wavered, "how could she say something like that?"

"Oh that was pretty par for the course for that bitch." Brittany states in a frustrated voice. "But now you understand why we are so upset that she's calling. And as for why she is like that, who knows? Maybe she's jealous of Quinn, or maybe she's just that mean. I don't know and I really don't care. Because whatever the reason Quinn keeps getting hurt because of it."

xXx-Scene Break-xXx

After the girls finished telling Rachel who Francine was they sat there in an awkward silence, just waiting for Quinn to get off the phone so they could find out if everything was okay. They watched the minutes on the clock pass by and were feeling pretty fidgety when finally an hour later Quinn comes out of her room. Her eyes are closed and she's pinching her brow as if trying to get rid of a headache. She walks straight over to the cabinet, pulls out her pain pills, and downs two of them.

"Quinn?" Rachel asks hesitantly, "Are you okay?"

Quinn gives a quick shake of her head as if to clear it of thought and then gives them a smile. "Yeah I'm fine don't worry." She doesn't look like she's going to say anything else, she is just kind of stares into space. The three girls share a nervous glance.

"So what did she want?" Santana asks shaking Quinn out of her stupor.

"Oh, well… my father had a heart attack. He just passed away." Quinn's face is calm and she sounds like she may as well have been commenting on the weather. Her girls aren't quite sure how to react at first.

"Oh Quinn." Brittany says with concern in her voice. She moves over to envelope her fellow blonde in a hug. Quinn returns the hug and says in the same voice as before. "I'm fine Brittany, really I'm okay. You don't need to worry."

"But Quinn he's your father." Rachel whispers softly almost as if Quinn were the one who had just had a heart attack.

"Rachel, why are you whispering?" Quinn whispers back in a playful manner.

"Quinn your father just died and it's perfectly natural for you-"

"That's right my father just died, a father who kicked me out of his home after one mistake, a father who spent his entire life making me feel like I would never amount to anything. A father who spent years drinking and emotionally abusing me and my mother. A father who was nothing but a hypocrite with all of his hell and damnation talk but who still went out and cheated on my mother. A father that would hate you, Rachel, just by virtue of who you are and who your parents are. A father who has wanted nothing to do with me for the past seven years. So don't try to compare my relationship with my father to your relationship with your fathers. It's not the same by any stretch of the imagination." Quinn hadn't raised her voice once this entire time. Only a little annoyance at having to keep talking about this subject had crept into her voice towards the end. Rachel nods her head, because she had been comparing them, and Quinn was right, they were different.

"So Rachel, sweetie, when I say that I'm okay, I mean it. But don't worry we are going to the funeral. I won't skip out on it." Quinn smiles at the petit girl.

"Wait hold up, what do you mean "we," are going to the funeral!?" Santana asks incredulously.

"What I mean Santana is that I am going to the funeral and if I even thought for one minute I could convince you three not to come with me I would do it in a heartbeat. Because really, I don't want you three anywhere near the kind of crazy that the Fabray family is. Because when I say crazy I don't mean the fun kind of crazy that the three of your families are, I mean these people should be locked up because they are a danger to society. They are cruel, vindictive, malicious, arrogant, and judgmental. And I don't want you guys exposed to that kind of hate. But I know, I know you guys won't let me face them alone, so that's what I mean when I say "we" are all going to this stupid thing! Unless I'm wrong, and you won't be coming with me, please tell me I'm wrong! I would love to be able to keep you guys safely away from them. It would be a huge weight off my mind!" Quinn shouts the last bit, sounding like she is about to cry. Her voice cracking and her eyes were even starting to water.

Santana feels awful, she didn't mean for it to come out like that. She was just shocked that Quinn wanted to go. "No you're not wrong, I'm sorry." Santana stutters out barely more than a whisper.

Quinn takes a deep breath. "No I'm sorry," she walks over to Santana and gives her a soft kiss on the lips. "I shouldn't have yelled. And I am grateful that you guys want to be there for me. I just really, I don't want you around them. So I'm sorry."

Quinn spaces out again for a few seconds before shaking her head, pulling herself back into reality. "I love you guys, but I've had enough of today. I'm going to bed, it's going to be a busy day tomorrow." Quinn then goes around and kisses each of her girls good night and then heads to her room.

Once Quinn has left the room the three girls share concerned looks. "Do you really think she's okay?" Rachel asks. "I know she said all of those things about her father but…"

"I really don't know. I think everything is too fresh for her to talk about tonight. We'll try talking tomorrow. For now let's go to bed, she's right it's going to be a busy day." Santana says.

"Sounds good." Brittany says. "Either of you want to join me tonight?"

"Sure, I could use the cuddles." Rachel responds.

"How about you San?" Brittany turns to her. "You want to join us tonight?"

"Nah, not tonight. I think I need to go solo tonight." Santana says with an apologetic smile. "I love you both though."

"Love you too." Both girls respond. They kiss Santana goodnight and then head to Brittany's room. Santana lets out a sigh and heads to her room for the night.

xXx-Scene Break-xXx

Santana had been in a very light sleep. More a state of not being conscious than actually being asleep. Not opening her eyes when she hears her door slowly creek open and the soft shuffling of feet across her floor. Judging by the sound of the steps it was Quinn. Santana decides to just lay there and wait for her girl. She feels the bed move a little and then the familiar sensation of someone joining her in bed. Quinn was crawling under the covers but wasn't moving closer so Santana decided to help with that.

"Hey Q." Santana whispers and she hears the girl give a slight gasp of surprise.

"Sorry, I thought you were sleeping." She hears back.

"Not really, more of a sleep light." Santana jokes. "What are you doing way over there? Hmmm?" She then reaches over and pulls the blonde closer to her, holding her in her arms. "There, that's better." She sighs contentedly. "What time is it?" She asks as she feels Quinn shuffle closer to her and bury her face into her chest. Santana rests her head above the blondes and holds her tightly.

"Almost three." Is the muffled response.

They lay there like that for a while. Santana doesn't speak, she knows that her girl just needs to gather her thoughts. So she just waits and enjoys the feeling of Quinn pressing against her. Their breathing falling into a similar rhythm.

"San, am I a bad person?" Quinn speaks quietly into the night.

"Of course not, why would you ask that?" Santana knows exactly why Quinn asked that. She had just spoken with her sister. Of course she would ask that.

"I didn't feel anything when Frannie told me Daddy died. I don't mean I felt numb from the shock, I mean I didn't feel anything good or bad. I didn't… I didn't really care. Doesn't that make me a bad person? Shouldn't I feel sad or… or angry or something? Anything?"

"Mi amor," Santana sighs "there isn't any correct way to feel in this kind of situation. Angry or sad, or considering your relationship with him, even relief. None of those are a wrong way to feel."

"But I didn't feel anything." Quinn sounds like she's pleading with Santana to help her feel something.

"And that's okay baby. Like I said there's no right way to feel about this. And to be honest I think even if you don't feel anything now, you probably will later. And even if you don't that's okay." The fact that Quinn is even in here, talking about this tells Santana that she does feel something. She just doesn't want to acknowledge it. Doesn't want to acknowledge that she can still be hurt by her father and family.

She feels Quinn nod her head and silence reigns between them for a few moments until she hears Quinn mumble something. "Sorry querida, I didn't catch that." Santana whispers back.

"I said, Frannie said that this was my fault, that if I hadn't broken daddy's heart that this wouldn't have happened." Quinn whimpers. Upon hearing that Santana stiffens in anger. A white hot rage pouring through her veins like a liquid fire. The hell that bitch was going to make Quinn take any blame for what happened.

"You listen to me and you listen good." Santana whispers fiercely. "His death was not your fault in any way, shape, or form. He kicked you out, he left you, and he broke your heart. Not the other way around. It's all on him. You didn't do anything that warranted him abandoning you like that. His life and his death are on his head not yours. So don't you dare for even one second let that bitch make you think otherwise. He could have tried to contact you any time. He didn't and that's on him. And I know you aren't supposed to speak ill of the dead, but I don't care. He was a real bastard and I hope he burns in hell for hurting you the way he did!" Santana has angry tears falling down her face and she feels her heart breaking as Quinn quietly sobs into her chest.

"Why, why didn't he want me? *sob* what's so wrong with me *sob* that he could just leave me like that?" Quinn shivers, her breath hitching, "Why didn't he want me?"

Santana just lays there holding Quinn as she cries, silently cursing Russell and Francine to the lowest pits of hell. "I don't know, I'm so sorry I don't know. Because there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. You're perfect, you're wonderful and you are such a blessing for everyone whose life you touch." _'I am going to kill Fran when I see her!' _Santana's eyes flashing with hate. She gently runs her hand in comforting circles on Quinn's back as she gently hums a lullaby. Hoping that her actions can convey a sense of comfort that words seem to be failing to provide.

Time passes slowly and it's a while before Quinn is able to stop crying. Santana waits for a few seconds before speaking again. "I know you said that you were going to the funeral, but if you don't want to go you don't have to. No one will… Okay no one who matters will blame you."

"I have to… I… I promised Fran I would do the funeral arrangements… I owe it to daddy."

"The hell you do!" Santana whispers harshly. "You don't owe him a damn thing and don't let that bitch guilt you into this! If you want to do it for you, then fine do it for you, but don't… don't do it because you feel you owe him or her anything. Because you don't and honestly it was a real shitty thing of her to ask of you."

"She's grieving San… and… and I want to be a good sister." Santana closes her eyes in pain at this.

"I can play the dutiful daughter one last time, I can do that. And who knows maybe this is just what Fran and I need."

"…Yeah… maybe." Santana whispers back. She doesn't believe it for a second but the hope in Quinn's voice tears at Santana's soul. So much so that she doesn't have the heart to disagree. She'll let Quinn believe the best in Francine for tonight. She won't voice her opinion that this is just her sister shoving off responsibility onto Quinn. That once the funeral is over, nothing will change between them.

xXx-Scene Break-xXx

The following day passes in a blur. They spend all day packing and arranging travel plans and before they know it they are on a plane to Cleveland where Brittany's mom will pick them up and take them all to Judy's place, where everyone had gathered and where the four girls would be staying. They land at the airport and gather their baggage. Luckily there aren't any problems there and they quickly find their luggage.

"Hey, hey over here!" They hear Phoebe shouting. They turn in that direction and see her jumping up and down waving her arms with a big smile on her face. Brittany's mom is great, she is always so happy and excited and she can make you feel better on even your worst day.

"Oh my gosh, it's so great to see you all!" She gives them each a big hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Oh Quinn, sweet heart, I am so sorry for your loss." She sounds so sad as she says this and pulls the girl into another hug.

"Thank you, but I'm okay, really." Quinn says. Phoebe nod's her head but doesn't look like she buys that for a moment. However she lets it go much to Quinn's relief. She then turns to Brittany, "So you'll never believe what Lord Tubbington just tried to do-"

The ride to Judy's goes by quickly. Phoebe has them in stiches as she regales them with stories about the current happenings at home. And before they know it they are pulling up the Fabray driveway. Her father, Leroy and Hiram all grab the bags, and the four girls are quickly ushered into the living room by her mother and Benjamin. There on one of the couches is Judy who is sitting next to a stony faced Francine. Judy quickly jumps up as soon as they enter and rushes over to the four girls. She quickly wraps them all up in a big hug that they return. She lets them go and then pulls Quinn into a hug.

"Oh Quinnie, how are you?" The concern is evident on her face.

For the first time since being asked that question she doesn't say she's fine. "I'm not sure really." Judy just nods her head in understanding, because she does. She really is the only person who understands how Quinn feels right now because she feels the same way. As Quinn and her mother have their reunion Santana glances over to look at Francine. The bitch is looking at her girl with such disdain that Santana is about to tear into her. But Rachel places a hand on her shoulder and a shakes her head. "Now's not the time." She quietly whispers. "Come on lets go visit with the others for now and let Quinn and her mom have their moment." Santana sighs in frustration. She will leave the bitch alone… for now anyways. And with one last glare at Francine, Santana follows Rachel out of the living room and into the kitchen and dining rooms where everyone else had gathered. They had various foods and salads set up so it was kind of like a buffet. Rachel and Santana both grab plates of food and then find empty seats at the table to eat.

"Hey mija, how are you?" Santana looks to her right and she sees her daddy sitting right next to her with a big smile on his face. Santana squeals and throws herself into his arms. "I'm great daddy, couldn't be better! Oh God it's so good to see you!"

"You too mija. And how are things between you girls-"

Then next little while is great, the conversation around the table flows comfortably. They talk about anything and everything. From her daddy teasing her about her career choice. "A lawyer, oh woe is me, where did I go wrong!" By now an old but favorite joke that earns him a smack up the back of the head courtesy of her mother. To talking horror films with Benjamin and Leroy. "I'm telling you Texas Chainsaw Massacre: the Arrival is going to revitalize the series!" Santana yells. "You're crazy!" "Not a chance!" had been their replies. Some people just didn't know how to appreciate good gore. Things were going great and Santana and the girls were almost able to completely forget why they were here in the first place. Almost. The three girls along with everyone else look up startled when they hear shouting from the other room.

"Well it's true! If you hadn't been such a slut and gotten knocked up, then none of this would have ever happened!" They all hear Francine shout. "You broke his heart, you betrayed him!"

Everyone looks at each other shocked. They couldn't believe that they just heard that. Well everyone looked at each other except Santana. As soon as she heard that she was up like a shot and storming towards the yelling. All Santana needed was one excuse, just one to go after that bitch and she had just been handed one on a silver platter. Rachel and Brittany quickly follow suit. Though whether to stop Santana from killing the girl or to help her they weren't sure.

They hear Quinn yell right back. "He didn't have a heart for me 'to' break! He died because he was a drunk! I didn't do anything wrong and you have no right to blame me for this!"

"Shut up! Just shut up! I hate you!"

Santana and everyone else arrive just in time to see Francine storm past Judy, who had been between them trying to calm the two girls down, over to Quinn and shove her. Quinn unable to keep her balance fell to the floor hard, her cane clattering down next to her. Santana saw red and she charges the girl. The Latina screaming a stream of curses in Spanish that she didn't even know she knew. But for some reason she couldn't reach the bitch to kill her, something was holding her back and no matter how she struggled she couldn't get lose. She looks behind her to see her daddy holding her back. She's about to yell at him to let her go when she hears Judy's voice loud and clear through all the noise.

"ENOUGH!"

Everyone goes quiet at that. A quick glance around the room and Santana sees that Benjamin had Brittany in a similar hold that she herself was in, preventing her girl from attacking Francine either. And surprisingly Rachel was being held back by Leroy. He had her in a bear hug and had to physically place himself between Rachel and Fran to stop her from attacking. _'Way to go Rachel!'_ passes briefly through her mind. Hiram and Phoebe are on the ground next to Quinn checking her over for injury. Her mom is standing next to Judy a supportive hand placed on the woman's shoulder. As for Francine, she was standing there her eyes jumping between Santana, Rachel and Brittany. Her face was white, she had been surprised by how violently the three girls had reacted and was actually a little afraid. She however schooled her features back into cool indifference a moment later.

"Enough." Judy repeats firmly one more time.

"Quinn, baby, are you okay?" Quinn nod's her head, she's sitting up but she looks really shaken. Judy then turns to Francine. "Frannie, sweetie, I know you're hurting right now, but sweetheart you can't act like this. Your father's death is not Quinn's fault and I don't know why you think it is. Your father had a lot of issues, and he didn't take the best care of himself. He drank and smoked to excess. That's what killed him, not Quinn getting pregnant. She didn't break his hearts, she didn't betray him, He broke hers, he betrayed her. She made one mistake and she paid dearly for it. She paid more than she should ever have had to. We should have been there for her, protected her, but your fathers pride and his image of a perfect family wouldn't allow it. And until my dying day I will regret my part in it. I was too weak and too scared to stand up to him the way I should have. Quinn and you were good daughter's and we… we were bad parents. We failed you both, so much and in so many ways. I know you loved your father, but somewhere along the way he changed from the good man I married into what he became. And when we finally divorced it was because of mistakes that he and I both made. It wasn't Quinn's fault or your fault or anyone else's. It was ours."

"That's not true! Everything was fine when I left home! And then that, that SLUT got knocked up! And she broke daddy's heart, and drove him to do all those bad things! You and daddy were fine until she messed things up and she turned you against him! It's her fault and I hate her!" Francine yells.

"Oh sweetie that's not true. Your father was already a heavy drinker by the time you were five. And he was smoking for even longer than that. And as for the affair, well it wasn't his first. Quinn did nothing wrong but she paid the price for it anyway. And the same for you, you paid for our mistakes as well. But now is the time to forget that, now is the time to forget the pain and wrongs done and come together as a family. Quinn is your sister and I know you love her."

Francine's entire body begins to shake, her head looking down, hair covering her face as she clenches her hands into fists. She stays like this for a few moments, struggling with whatever demons inside she's facing when suddenly she stops and calms herself and as she does Santana tenses. She feels for Judy she really does, she can't imagine what she must be going through, seeing her daughter behave like this, but Santana knows that the next words to come out of Francine's mouth are going to break a lot of hearts.

Francine looks up and her eyes are as cold as ice. She looks Judy right in the eyes as she speaks with a deathly calm voice. "I should have known you would take her side, but whatever that's nothing new. I thought maybe I could reform some kind of relationship with you but I can see I'm wasting my time. I hate you for abandoning daddy when he needed you most and I will never forgive you." Judy looks as if she could die the words of her eldest striking at the very foundations of her being. She shakes her head no and takes a hesitant step towards the girl but stops when Fran turns away from her and towards Quinn.

Santana begins to shake with rage, she wants so badly to jump in, to say something or do something that will stop Francine from doing whatever she's about to, to protect Quinn, but she knows that anything she does will just make things worse. That despite all of the love she has for Quinn and for Judy, that this is a Fabray family issue and she can't intervene. She can't and it kills her inside. All she can do is be there for them when it's over. A quick glance at Rachel and Brittany and she can see by the heartbroken expressions on their faces that they've come to the same conclusion she has. She looks to Quinn who is still on the floor, she looks so pale and so shocked and so scared that tears begin to well in Santana's eyes. Where before there had just been anger, now there was also a deep sadness.

"Fran," Quinn chokes out. "Please?"

Francine stares at Quinn with utter contempt on her face. She then speaks slowly and clearly with that same deathly calm voice. "I hate you, I will never ever forgive you for what you've done. I will hate you for forever and once this funeral is over, I hope I never see you again. The day of the crash, I wish you had died that day." And with those parting words Francine Fabray turns around and storms out of the house.

The following minutes are silent. Nobody moves or makes a sound, you could hear a pin drop. Everyone trying to process what they've just seen. Judy breaks the silence first. She drops to her knees and begins to cry. Maribel is down by Judy's side in an instant and she pulls the sobbing woman into a hug. Rachel is the first of the girls to react and she races to Quinn's side. Quinn seems shell shocked, she just stares ahead with a blank expression not making a move or a sound. Rachel pulls the girl into a hug, but Quinn doesn't react at all. Brittany is next to reach Quinn and envelops both girls in an embrace. Santana doesn't move she stands there unsure of what to do next. She feels a tap on her shoulder and turns to look at her daddy.

"Mija, why don't you take Quinn and the girls upstairs? You take care of them and we'll take care of Judy."

Santana nods her head and looks over at sobbing Judy, who is being held by her mother and Phoebe, before heading over to her girls. "Hey," She whispers softly "let's get Q upstairs and into bed. I think the four of us need to be together, alone right now." Both Rachel and Brittany nod their assent, but Quinn still hasn't reacted to anything.

The girls help Quinn stand and she doesn't struggle or protest, she just goes along with it allowing herself to be led to her old room. Her face still holding that blank expression. It's seven thirty and a little early, but the girls get themselves ready for bed and then help Quinn. They all climb into the bed and fifteen minutes pass before they get a reaction out of Quinn. Rachel and Quinn are in the middle of the bed, the brunette diva holding the catatonic girl close to her. Santana and Brittany are on the outsides acting as silent guardians. All three of them wishing they could do more, when Quinn's shoulders begin to shake. She is trying so hard to not cry, but doesn't last long. Her face contorts in agony and she begins to cry. Rachel, Brittany, and Santana hold and caress their girl. Whispering soft words of comfort and declarations of love. Doing whatever they can to try and men their girl's broken heart.

xXx-Scene Break-xXx

Something kept nudging Santana's shoulder. She rolls over hoping whatever it was would go away.

"Santana, baby you need to wake up." She hears someone through the din, it might be Brittany but she's really not sure. Santana just mumbles and buries her head into her pillow.

"Santana you need to wake up, Quinn is gone." Santana's eyes shoot open and the memories of last night come flooding back to her. It had been a rough night. Nothing they did or said helped. Quinn was just devastated by her sisters parting words and Santana and the other's had felt so helpless. It's not a good feeling when the person you love is in pain and there is nothing you can do about it. They had held Quinn until the early hours of the morning, their girl unable to stop crying. At around two thirty exhaustion had finally claimed her and she had fallen into a fitful sleep.

"What do you mean Quinn's gone?"

"I mean, I just woke up and Quinn wasn't here. Rachel is getting dressed and you need to as well." Santana jumps out of bed, quickly searching for some clothes. She keeps imagining all sorts of nightmare scenarios about Quinn. Brittany is already dressed and she's waiting anxiously for them to hurry. Sanana see's Rachel pulling on some blue jeans, she doesn't have a shirt on yet. Santana grabs some clothes from her bag and hurries as quickly as she can. When the three girls are fully dressed they head downstairs intent on finding Quinn. They head to the kitchen first and see Judy there. She's sitting at the counter nursing a cup of tea. She gives the girls a weak smile.

"Morning girls."

"Hey Judy, how are you?" As soon as Rachel asks that she smacks herself on the head. "Oh that was such a stupid thing to say! Of course you're not… I mean is there anything I can do for you?"

"No it wasn't stupid of you to ask. It was very sweet of you, but I don't think there's anything anyone can do, not right now anyway."

Brittany reaches over and places her hands on Judy's forearm. "If you think of anything, anything at all, please tell us. We love you Judy and we want to be there for you." Both Santana and Rachel nod in agreement.

"Thank you girls, and I love all of you so much. But I think this is something that I'll just have to work through alone. And I'll just have to hope that it was just the grief talking and that everything will be okay in the end."

None of the girls know what to say to this so Santana decides to change the subject. "Hey Judy, have you seen Quinn?"

"Yeah she's, she's in the living room." Judy looks each girl in the eye as she pleads with them, her eyes shining. "Help her, she's not taking this well and she's internalizing everything. She won't open up to me and she's trying to put on such a brave front and it's not healthy. So please, please help her and please continue being there for her."

"You know we'd never abandon her Judy. Not ever and not for anything." Rachel says.

"Yeah, she's stuck with us for life, and so are you." Santana adds with a wink.

"And I thank God every day for that." Judy replies with full sincerity and gratitude in her voice. "You girls are the best thing to have ever happen to both Quinn and our family."

xXx-Scene Break-xXx

Santana and the girls make their way into the living room intent on finding Quinn, all of them are worried about the condition she's in after last night. They are all surprised however to see her standing in the middle of the room talking on the phone. She is looking very well groomed with her make up lightly applied, her hair pulled back into a simple but elegant bun, and wearing her black dress suit.

"No lilies will be fine thank you."

"Mhmm."

"Yeah that's fine."

"No it sounds beautiful. Thank you."

"Yes 2:30, I'll see you then."

"I appreciate that, I'll speak with you later."

"Mhmm , goodbye."

Quinn hangs up and turns to her girls. "That was the funeral home director, I'll be meeting with him in twenty minutes. After that I have to meet with the priest and then I'll be picking out a casket and grave site and then I have million other things to do and people to call. So I apologize I'm going to be busy all day. You guys go ahead and visit with your families, I'm sure you would all much rather be doing that than dealing with any more Fabray drama."

"No, we're going with you." Brittany says, the other girls confirming what Brittany has just said.

"Are you sure? It's going to be pretty dull and you don't get to see your families very often." The three girls just give Quinn a look that says 'Seriously, you did not just say that?'

"Okay, okay, well you have twenty minutes to get ready so you might want to hurry."

"Quinn are you doing this all on your own?" Rachel asks hesitantly. Both Brittany and Santana are very interested in the answer.

"It's no big deal." Quinn shrugs her shoulders.

"Quinn!" Brittany exclaims. "That's way too much for you to do on your own. Can't Judy or someone else in the family help you!? What about Francine? What's she doing, during all of this!?"

Quinn flinches slightly at the mention of Francine but otherwise doesn't react. "My mother has enough to deal with right now and I'm not going to have her plan a funeral in addition to everything else. Besides they've been divorced for six years now, she doesn't owe him a thing. I don't want her to have to deal with this and she's not going to have to, understand? As for getting any help from anyone on that side of the family… it would just cause more problems than it would solve. It's just easier in the long run to do it on my own."

"And what about Francine huh!? What's that bitch doing during all of this!?" Santana asks angrily.

Quinn turns her head away from them, unable to look at their loving and concerned gazes without breaking down. "No one has heard from her, since she left yesterday. But she knows what time the meeting at the funeral home is and hopefully she will be there."

"This is bullshit Quinn you shouldn't have to do this alone! After everything she's ever pulled and especially after last night why does she get to sit on her ass and do nothing!? Why is this all on you, why do you have to do this!?" Santana is angry. Her girl is taking on way too much and it's not right.

Quinn faces Santana, her eyes glistening with tears. "I promised I would."

**A.N. Okay so that's where I'm ending this chapter. I apologize once again for it being such a downer. I just got to typing it and all of the ideas kept popping up in my mind and I couldn't stop. I decided not to add the actual funeral because I felt the chapter was starting to drag on, it's my longest one yet. I also wanted to end it with Quinn trying to be strong and trying to carry the burden on her own, which is such a Quinn trait. Also I think I put Quinn through enough for now and the only ideas I had for the funeral were even more depressing. I also know that Quinn was a little all over the place with her emotions and actions. That was done on purpose. I didn't want her just feeling one emotion through this or behaving just one way. I didn't want her just sad, or just angry, or just indifferent. And I didn't want her powering through it the entire time. I wanted something a little more true to life. I wanted to have her flounder between strong and helpless and I hope I've done a good job of representing that. Dealing with death and betrayal is a complex situation in real life and it's a pain in the ass to convey in story lol.**

**Once again I apologize for how depressing this chapter is. The best I can do to make it up to you is that I promise you the next two chapters are much happier and way more on the fluffy side. I don't want this story to be just drama and angst. I know this chapter and the last one were on the heavy side and that both of them are very Quinn-centric. She's my favorite character and so it's very easy for me to write about her and she just lends herself to the drama and angst so well that I just can't help myself. But this story is about all four girls and I need to remember that and I promise to try and represent them better and to try and focus on them all equally. The next chapter I post is going to be a Rachel/Santana chapter. So that's all for now and thank you for reading and for your continued interest in my story. Every follow, every favorite, and every review means the world to me. So thank you.**


	9. Actions Speak Louder Than Words

**Standard disclaimer, I don't own Glee or any of its characters. This chapter takes place during their first semester of college so it takes place after As We Wait Together and before As A Family.**

**Actions Speak Louder Than Words**

"Okay you can do this. Just breathe, inhale… exhale…inhale…exhale." Rachel Berry mutters to herself as she nervously paces around the now empty room. "You're a star, you're a star and you're going to shine… You can do this…" Except Rachel wasn't really sure she could. This was her first ever audition for a real play and she was really beginning to freak out. She was the last to go and she had seen some of the other people there who were also auditioning. They had all talked and shared stories with one another, while waiting, about different shows and plays they had done and people they had worked with and all Rachel could do was sit there in awe at all they had accomplished. The only things she had to her name was one school play and a single high school glee club national's victory. These people though, they were fantastic. Brilliant even! So accomplished and tall and beautiful and glamorous and worst of all talented.

'_Everything I'm not.'_ Rachel thinks dejectedly. _'What the heck am I doing here? I can't compete with these people. They're all just as talented as I am, more so even. They've already done so much, and even if I could keep up with them, I don't look the part. I don't look like a star should, not like they do. I mean look at me. I'm short and loud, I have no figure to speak of, my mouth is too big, my knees are knobby, damn it why did I where a skirt!? And my hands… just look at my hands.'_ Rachel stares down at her hands and slowly rotates them, looking at them from every angle. _'Man-hands.'_ Even her girlfriends, the people who loved her in spite of all her flaws, had called her that. Not recently of course, but definitely in high school and now looking at them she could see what they had meant. Had her thumbs always been so big and clubby and her fingers, so masculine and stubby and callused?

Rachel quickly shoves her hands into her pockets with a huff. _'No! Don't think like that, you're beautiful, you're talented…'_ Rachel's thoughts come to an abrupt halt as she passes her reflection in a picture frame. _'My nose, it's huge! Has it always been this big?'_ Rachel quickly pulls a compact out of her purse and stares at her reflection. She begins to prod and squish her nose. _'Oh God, I look like a troll…'_ Man-hands, Ru-Paul, treasure trail, dwarf, and every other nickname she had been given growing up comes crashing back down on her, repeating over and over in her head, until it finally becomes too much.

"I can't do this… I have to get out of here."

"Ahem…"

Rachel looks up startled, one of the casting directors had poked their head in the room. An attractive blonde girl who looked like she would be just as comfortable on stage or on a runway as she would be behind the scenes.

"Rachel Berry, we're ready for you." She says with a smile. _'Oh God, even the directors look amazing! I can't do this, I have to get out of here!'_

Thinking quickly Rachel spits out the first thing that comes to mind. "Oh, I'm sorry I'm not this… Rachel Berry, is Rachel Berry who you're looking for? Yeah… I'm not her… I'm just… um, I'm just lost, and… uh, I'm looking for a restroom. Yes! I'm lost and looking for a restroom." Rachel forces a smile to her face.

"Oh," the blonde supermodel director says, she looks skeptical but doesn't call her on it, "you'll just want to head down the hall to your right and it'll be the third door down." She says kindly.

"Thank you." Rachel says quickly as she makes her way to the door.

"You sure you haven't seen anyone else around, nobody else who might be here for an audition?" The blonde asks, trying to give an encouraging look.

"Nope!" Rachel shakes her head quickly. "No, no I haven't seen anyone else, sorry." And with that Rachel hastily makes her way out the door with her head down and hair covering her face.

xXx-Scene Break-xXx

Santana was sitting on the couch flipping through the channels. Her last class had been canceled so she had come home early. There was absolutely nothing on and Santana was bored. Quinn would be in class right now so she couldn't call her, Brittany was at the gym, and Rachel was auditioning for a play.

Santana lets her mind wonder to the tiny brunette for a moment and smiles, she's auditioning for her very first play and all of the girls were super excited for her. Not even a semester in and she was already looking for roles. _'My baby has drive.'_ Santana thinks fondly. There was absolutely no way her girl wasn't going to get the part. She was beautiful, intelligent, and focused. You give her a role to play or a song to sing and BAM! Zero to a hundred, in no time flat. Perfectly performed, Rachel Berry was born for the stage. She has a lot of natural talent, but unlike most people that wasn't enough for her girl. Oh no, she trains and hones her skills to pure perfection. Talented in whatever she pursues, whether in theatre or music. Especially music, nobody could sing like her baby, she was the total package. Santana grins to herself as she continues to think about Rachel. God her girl was great. She has this self confidence that you just couldn't fake, a total faith in her abilities. And her body, oh man that body is in one word 'fantastic.' Beautiful chocolate eyes, smooth skin, silky hair, her breasts. Santana's grin becomes a little more lecherous. And those legs, oh man, someone as tiny as Rachel should not have legs that long, it's not fair, and her ass… _'Yeah… someone's getting lucky tonight.'_ Santana giggles.

As she continues to channel surf Santana hears the door open and slam quickly. She looks up to see Rachel quickly making her way to her room. "Hey chica how did… it… go…?" Santana trails off as Rachel quickly slams the door to her room.

"Okay, that was weird." Santana stands up and makes her way to Rachel's room and gently knocks on the door. "Rachel, sweetie, is everything alright?"

"I'm fine, go away!" is the muffled response.

Santana frowns, "You're not fine and I'm coming in."

"No don't!" She hears the startled cry as she opens the door. Rachel is currently curled up in a ball on her bed with the blankets pulled up and over her head. Santana takes a seat next to the girl and gently places her hand on the girl and begins to softly pet her. Santana feels slight shaking under the covers indicating that Rachel is crying.

"Rachel, are you crying?" Santana asks. "What's wrong?"

"Please… just leave me alone." Rachel whimpers.

"No I'm not going to 'just leave you alone,' you're upset and I want to help. Talk to me." Santana says gently. She pulls back quickly, startled when Rachel sits up quickly and flings the blankets off. She has a wild look on her face as she begins to yell.

"What's wrong!? What's wrong!? Look at me! I'm hideous, I'm ugly, I'm no good, I'm not talented, I… I look like… like a big nosed… FREAK!"

Santana is taken aback. "Rachel, sweet heart, you're none of those things. You're beautiful, you're talented, your nose isn't big it's perfect and you're not a freak. You're perfect. Where is all this coming from?"

"HA, Where is all this coming from!?" Rachel asks incredulously. "Wasn't it you who coined the nick name, treasure trail!? Didn't you spend three years of high school telling me how manly I am!? Well I may be slow, but I've finally received the message, I've finally seen what all of you have seen! I'm a big nosed, manly, freak who should just crawl into a corner and die! Just because you and the others have decided you don't mind slumming it with me, doesn't make any of what you've said untrue!" At this Rachel breaks down completely and flings herself onto her pillow and begins to sob.

Santana feels like she's been punched in the gut. She knew she had been horrible to Rachel and it would be something that Santana would regret for the rest of her life. But she had always thought that Rachel had just ignored them. She had never believed what she had said about her, Rachel was just so confident and so self-assured and talented that it had just rubbed her the wrong way. Especially with how insecure she had always felt in high school. So she had done what every stupid and cowardly bully did, she tried to tear Rachel down.

But nothing had worked and Rachel continued to walk around with her head held high. Like she knew she was better than that, and that she knew, you knew, she was better than that. At first it had really pissed her off, but as time went by the anger and annoyance at Rachel's fortitude had changed to something different. Something more. It morphed into admiration, then friendship, and finally full out love.

Now though, Santana was seeing for the first time that her girl hadn't come away from all of that unscarred, that their words had had an effect on her girl. Santana could feel her heart constrict as if in a vice. "Rachel…" She whispers softly.

"I… I… Please, you have to believe me I never ever, not once ever, meant any of those things." Santana wants to cry but doesn't. Right now she doesn't deserve to, this isn't about her and her guilt. This is about Rachel. "Please sweetie, believe me when I say that you are beautiful. I can't even begin to describe how perfect you are. You're beautiful inside and out. Rachel? Please… say something." Santana pleads softly.

Rachel sniffles and takes a second and visibly calms herself. She turns over and faces Santana, her eyes red and puffy with tear tracks trailing down her face. "You don't have to lie. I know I'm not pretty, certainly not like you or Brittany or Quinn. Its okay-"

"That's not true!" Santana interrupts. "Rachel you are, you are! You are so pretty! Please believe me. I can't even begin to… you don't know how much I love you and… and how you look!" Santana pleads.

"San its okay you don't have to say this kind of stuff to me. Its okay I get it really, I'm your girlfriend, you want to make me feel better, but it's fine, don't worry about it. It's okay, its just me, you know… man hands. "Rachel tries to say with a smile, like it's no big deal, but she ends up breaking down again.

It feels like another punch to the gut. "No! It's not okay! Rachel you are so beautiful. Your hair is so soft and silky." At this Santana gently runs her hand through Rachel's hair. "Your eyes, I look into them, and… and I just get lost. I can see for forever. And your lips, I just want to kiss them, all of the time. Especially when you smile, you light up the world when you smile." Santana reaches down and grabs one of Rachel's hands and cradles it in her own, using her hands to gently explore Rachel's hand. "Your hands are so small and… and perfect. So dexterous and when you play the piano they seem almost… inhuman, godlike, you have amazing, 'girly,' hands. Definitely not man hands. And your body, oh God your body, do you want me to go on about that, cause I will. I'll go on about that for hours. I love you, I love everything about you both inside _and_ out."

Rachel stares at Santana and she desperately wants to believe her but… "Santana it… it wasn't just you who said all of those things. It wasn't just you or any one person." Rachel scrunches up her face as she chokes back a sob before continuing on. "I spent my entire high school career being told I was nothing, that I was ugly, and that I looked like a man. I've tried to ignore it and press on… but today, today I get it. I finally see what you guys see… and you were right."

Rachel's voice was so small and so certain about what she was saying that it felt like a knife to Santana's heart. "Rachel, I wish I could take back all of those times I hurt you, but I can't and wishing for it won't do anyone any good. But what I can tell you is that for the rest of my life, I will spend it proving to you how wrong I was, about everything. You are beautiful, just as much as me or Brit or even Quinn. But please Rachel you have to believe me, all of those things I said, I said them out of jealousy and fear. You were always so confident and larger than life and I always felt so small next to you that I just… I lashed out. It wasn't right and it wasn't fair to you and I know it's a shitty reason, I know that! But I thought if I tore you down maybe I wouldn't feel so… so… insignificant. But you were so strong, you just held your head high and marched on and I began to admire you. Then that summer we started to hang out…"

Santana smiles and Rachel manages to smile as well. "We started to hang out and I really began to see just how amazing you are and… and you, me and Brit we spent so much time together and we… we fell in love. It just made sense… and… I love you… I love you so much… and I… and I am so, so sorry." Santana was unable to hold back her tears any longer and began to cry.

"San." Rachel whispers, finally believing her girl. The self-doubt that had been there before pushed away by the sight of her girl crying and by the sincerity behind her words.

"Amor, I… I will hate myself for forever for what I did to you. I've done a lot of shitty things in my time but that… telling you those lies, making you believe them, the names. That will always be what I will hate myself most for-"

"No, no don't hate yourself." Rachel says quietly as she sits up and pulls the Latina into a hug. "Please don't hate yourself. I forgave you and everyone else for that a long time ago."

"But you shouldn't," Santana whimpers, "You shouldn't. You should hate us, hate me! We… we were awful to you!" Santana cries even harder into the diva's shoulder.

"I don't hate you though, I never have. Look I won't lie and say that what you guys did was okay and that it didn't hurt, because it wasn't okay and it did hurt. There were times when it hurt so much and I would just go home in tears. But for the most part I did ignore it. I knew what you were saying wasn't true, still you hear that kind of stuff enough times and some of it hits, and it can bring up bad memories. But Santana, you and the others have more than made up for what you did."

"How can you say that? What, a couple apologies and suddenly, boom, all is forgiven? It doesn't work like that… how can you say you forgive us, forgive me?" Santana whimpers.

"You're right a couple apologies doesn't magically make it okay. No matter how sincere just saying I'm sorry doesn't make it okay, doesn't cause forgiveness. But that's not why I can forgive you. It's not why I have forgiven you." Rachel pulls back slightly and cradles Santana's face in her hands so that they are looking into each other's eyes and she uses her thumbs to gently wipe away tears. "I forgave you because, not only have all of you apologized, but you have also backed up those apologies with actions. You have spent every day showing me you love me, and that you care about me, and that you feel awful for what you did. I can honestly say that you three are the only ones of my so called friends who have done that." Here Rachel pauses and gives the Latina a kiss before continuing.

"No one else has done that. They may have toned down, and a few of them even stopped the bullying, but only you three, Santana, have truly shown any remorse for what happened. Even other people who are supposed to be my friends haven't made the efforts that you have to rectify that. They just ignore it and pretend that it never happened and even when they did acknowledge it, it was always a half assed apology more about their feelings than my own." Here Rachel once again kisses Santana.

"It's why you three are my world, and why I don't really care about staying in touch with the others. Because despite all of my best efforts to be a good friend to them none of them were ever truly there for me. Not like you sweetie. I return phone calls and emails and do Facebook and stuff because that's just how I am, I can't help it. I refuse to hold a grudge against others. It's too much weight for the soul. It would be so easy for me to let all of the anger and hurt consume me, so I just don't let it. But I'm not stupid, I may have forgiven but I haven't forgotten. I remember how it felt and like I said I don't hold a grudge or anything but when I've finally made it, it's certainly not them who I'll be thanking or acknowledging, but you, you and Quinn and Brittany. Because you guys, you actually, and truly felt remorse for your actions, you knew what you did was wrong and you changed. It's really hard to believe in yourself and feel good about yourself when no one likes you. But you do, you believe in me, you guys love me and like me, and you show it and I can feel it."

"But… but today you came home and you were so… so sad and hurt, how can, I just don't understand. If you're okay then how come you came home so sad and you said all those things about us being right?" Santana asks.

"Because sweetie, like I said, I may have forgiven, but I can't forget. I know it's not true but sometimes just because you know something isn't true doesn't mean there aren't times when you believe it anyway. I've… I've always felt so self-conscious about how I look and you hear something about yourself enough times, no matter what it is, you can't help but think on it, and sometimes… believe it. And today at the audition, seeing all these amazing people, I got really nervous and began to dwell on all the things I don't like about myself and feel self-conscious about and it became too much, so I panicked and just couldn't remember anything good about myself. And on my way home it just got worse and worse till… well you saw the result. And sometimes, like today… I just need help remembering all of my good qualities. And that's why I have you, it amazes me and makes me so warm and happy that I have you and the others, you guys are so quick to come to my defense even when it's me who's attacking myself. And I'm so sorry I threw what you did back in your face. It wasn't right or fair because no one has done as much as you guys to make it up to me. Nobody has gone the distances you guys have to support me and to tell me how special I am and to tell me how…" Rachel smiles shyly, "how pretty I am. Like I said, sometimes I just need help remembering that."

Santana sits up on her knees so that she's looking down at Rachel. She gently tucks a strand of hair behind Rachel's ear and speaks softly her voice rough with emotion. "Every day, I will remind you every single day, just how pretty you are, how special you are, and just how much I want you, how much I love you." And with that she leans down and captures Rachel's lips with her own.

**A.N. I am so sorry I took so long to update. Between school and life it just took a while to write this. This was a hard chapter to write, for more than one reason, and it ended up being so different than my initial outline that you wouldn't even recognize the original draft. But I kind of like how this one turned out. **

**Oh and just because even I'm having trouble keeping track. Here is a list of the chapters so far in chronological order. I'll update this every couple of chapters.**

**Ducklings**

**Wait What**

**Out**

**Can't Breathe**

**As We Wait Together**

**Actions Speak Louder Than Words**

**As A Family**

**Funeral**

**Q&A or is That B**


	10. Audition

** Standard disclaimer. I don't own Glee or any of its characters. This takes place between ****As We Wait Together**** and ****Actions Speak Louder Than Words.**** The girls are still in high school.**

**Audition**

Rachel paces nervously backstage as she waits for her turn to audition. This was a big deal, and if she nailed it she would be going to The New York Academy of Dramatic Arts. NYADA for short. She had been waiting her whole life for this moment. She would even go so far as to say that her dreams hung in the balance of this one audition. Whether she would rise as a star, one of the greatest actresses of all time or fade into obscurity, a foot note in the history of a high school glee club. But none of that mattered to Rachel right now. All she could think about was Quinn. Quinn who had finally gotten out of the hospital two weeks ago, Quinn who could not feel anything from the waist down, and Quinn who would be going to her first session of physical therapy today.

She shouldn't be here at some audition she should be at the therapy center with Santana and Brittany as they supported Quinn through this trial of hers. But all three girls had insisted that she show up to this audition. Telling her how important this was, how much they wanted this for her, but Rachel just wouldn't budge. She had only agreed to go after Quinn had flat out told her that she wouldn't go to her session if Rachel didn't go to her audition.

"_How do you expect me to focus with you there when all I'll be able to think about is you giving up your dreams because of me? This is way too important for you to miss! You have to go, you have to! This is your chance to get everything you've ever dreamed of and worked so hard for! This," Here Quinn had gestured angrily at her legs, "this will still be here tomorrow… but that audition, that may be a once in a life time shot! _I love you too much to let you miss out on that and…_ and if you don't go… then… I won't go either." The finality in Quinn's voice had left no room for argument._

Was it hitting below the belt? Definitely, but really, how could she say no to that? So she had spent the last few days deciding on a song that she didn't want to sing, at an audition she didn't want to be at, for a school that she, at this point in time, really didn't care about.

Rachel had won the argument to come alone though. She felt horrible enough not being there for Quinn, she wouldn't let Brittany or Santana skip out on her either. And to Rachel that was essentially what she was doing. Skipping out on her girl. She felt like a horrible girlfriend, because really what did some stupid song and dance school matter when her girl might not walk again. _'No, don't think that way! Nothing is set in stone yet and she will walk again! She will, she has to.' _

She heard the person before her finish up their audition and then waited for her name to be called. The song she had decided on was 'Don't Rain On My Parade.' It was an old favorite, she could do it in her sleep and she'd leave her mind open to more important thoughts. Like how Quinn was doing at her session. Was she okay, was she in pain? If she was in pain was that good or bad? Yes 'Don't Rain On My Parade,' was easy and safe, and would let her get out of here quickly. She finally heard the legendary Carmen Tibideaux call her name and didn't even bat an eyelash as she walked out on stage.

"You may begin." Ms. Tibideaux calls out.

"Hi my name is Rachel Berry and I'll be singing 'Don't Rain On My Parade.'" Rachel states calmly. She then signals for the music to start before she begins to sing. Unfortunately for Rachel there is just one huge problem. She can't remember any of the lyrics. She stands there for a few moments with her mouth open, unable to get any sound to come out. She sees Ms. Tibideaux call for them to cut the music, and finally the severity of the situation comes crashing down on Rachel. This was the audition that could take her to New York and she was woefully unprepared. Everything she had worked for would now be for nothing. She was missing out on helping Quinn all for nothing. She was wasting this opportunity she had been given and Rachel could feel the panic begin to set in.

"Next-"

"Wait! Please Ms. Tibideaux, please give me another chance! Please I can do this, please!" Rachel pleads.

Ms. Tibideaux gives her an annoyed look but still says. "Very well, one, and I repeat one last chance. Proceed."

Rachel nods her head and is about to signal for the music to start when she realizes that she still can't remember any of the words to the song, or any song for that matter. A few awkward seconds pass and just as it looks like Ms. Tibideaux is about to cut her off, a light from the back of the auditorium catches Rachel's eye. There quietly entering the room are her three girls. Brittany waves at her as they enter, and Santana gives her a thumb's up as she pushes Quinn's wheel chair. And Quinn, Quinn is sitting there smiling at her. All three girls looking at her with such confidence and faith that Rachel feels as if the whole world has shifted. All of the fire she once had returns. She regains that glint in her eye, a spark that had been missing since the accident. They were here for her. All three of them were here for her and her dream. They cared about her future, about her, as much as they cared about Santana's future, or Brittany's future, or Quinn's. She mattered to them, and while she had known that, she had always had a little voice in the back of her mind telling her she would eventually have to choose between love and her dreams. Like today between Quinn and this audition. And for the first time ever she realized that, no, she didn't have to choose. That she could have both. That she was finally with people who wanted her dream for her. And this revelation struck like lightning.

Rachel could feel her heart swell. They had come for her, were here for her. Yes, they were going to be in huge trouble when this was over, they weren't going to get away with skipping out on Quinn's session, it was too important, but for now she could only feel the gratitude and love that coursed through her. And as all of this is passing through her head, as Rachel came to her realization, it gave her everything she needed to do what she was going to do next.

"Ahem, I apologize for the delay." Rachel says in her usual Rachel Berry manner, all tension and nerve having left her. "I know I said I was going to sing 'Don't Rain On My Parade,' but that isn't going to happen." She says with a smile. Everyone in the auditorium is thrown by this statement and share glances with each other. Santana, Quinn, and Brittany exchange nervous looks. _'What is she thinking!?'_

Ms. Tibideuax stares calmly at Rachel waiting for her to continue.

"You see while it is a great song, a personal favorite of mine, it's not what I'm feeling in my heart right now. And when it comes to music, if you aren't singing from the heart then you are just wasting your time. I have wanted to be on Broadway since before I could walk. I studied all of the greats, Patti Lupone, Barbara Streisand, and many others, even your-self Ms. Tibideaux. I've wanted my whole life to be like you and to be on stage like you. And up till now that has been my dream, but not anymore. You all forged your own paths to greatness, and I need to do that as well. I can look to you and admire you, but ultimately I need to be me and I need to sing what I feel, because otherwise it doesn't matter. It's not sincere. Until now I have only ever sung for myself, don't get me wrong, if asked to perform I won't shut up. Heck even when I'm not asked I still won't." Rachel hears her girls giggle at this and even sees Ms. Tibideaux's mouth quirk slightly into a smile, if only for a moment.

"But still, it was always only for myself. It was about my needs and my wants. I thought if I imitated all those people I admire then I would be just as good as them. But that's not how I feel anymore. I can't be you, I can't be the next Lupone or Streisand, because you are all one of kind. You are all fantastic but… so am I, and if I want to be great then I can't do it by imitating you. I have to be me, I have to sing what is in my own heart, for a reason that I can truly grab a hold of. Just like you did Ms. Tibideaux, I have to find my reason to sing. And I finally have one, one that will take me where I want to go."

"I love to sing, and to go to your school would be wonderful, but my dream has changed and grown. It's now… it's now so much more important than NYADA or Broadway or even New York." As Rachel is saying this, she has turned her attention away from Ms. Tibideaux to look at her girls. All three of them beaming at her, and those looks on their faces drive away any doubt about whether or not she was right to do this.

"My dream is for my family, those that love me and support me. I want to sing for them, and only them. To show the world that they weren't wrong to believe in me. So this is a promise I make now, before you and before the entire world. When I sing, it won't be for me, and it won't be for anyone else. It will only be for them. Because they are in my heart and they are my dream. And that is how I feel. I'm going to make it, I'm going to be a star. That is a simple fact, and I'll do it because I have them. So this song is for you, no accompaniment, just me to you." All three girls are crying silently, struck by their girl's words. They can feel their bond with the girl grow even stronger than before. And Rachel only has eyes for them, so she fails to see the smile that has graced Ms. Tibideaux's face.

And then to a completely silent auditorium Rachel began to sing. Pouring every ounce of emotion she feels into the song. Because this was no longer an audition, this was her talking to her girls. This was her expressing to them everything that they meant to her.

_**I set out on a narrow way, many years ago**_

_**Hoping I would find true love along the broken road**_

_**But I got lost a time or two**_

_**Wiped my brow and kept pushing through**_

_**I couldn't see how every sign pointed straight to you**_

_**Every long lost dream led me to where you are**_

_**Others who broke my heart, they were like northern stars**_

_**Pointing me on my way into your loving arms**_

_**This much I know is true**_

_**That God blessed the broken road**_

_**That led me straight to you**_

_**I think about the years I spent, just passing through**_

_**I'd like to have the time I lost, and give it back to you**_

_**But you just smile and take my hand**_

_**You've been there, you understand**_

_**It's all part of a grander plan that is coming true**_

_**Every long lost dream led me to where you are**_

_**Others who broke my heart, they were like northern stars**_

_**Pointing me on my way into your loving arms**_

_**This much I know is true**_

_**That God blessed the broken road**_

_**That led me straight to you**_

_**But now I'm just rolling home into my lover's arms**_

_**This much I know is true**_

_**That God blessed the broken road**_

_**That led me straight to you**_

_**That God blessed the broken road**_

_**That led me straight to you.**_

As Rachel finishes the last note, she takes a deep breath and smiles. Nobody is making a sound but Rachel doesn't care. She looks to Ms. Tibideaux and says politely. "Thank you for the opportunity to audition for your school." She then heads off stage, her heart feeling lighter than ever.

xXx-Scene Break-xXx

As Rachel makes her way outside the auditorium she sees Kurt standing there, his eyes wide and jaw hanging. "Rachel what were you thinking!?" He halfway screams and halfway whispers. "Are you trying to blow any shot you have of getting out of here!? You can't do that during an audition!"

Rachel just smiles and shakes her head. "Kurt I appreciate your concern but I had to do what felt right, and I did. I don't regret what I said or the song I sung. Now if you'll excuse me I have some people waiting for me." And with that Rachel walks past a confused and concerned Kurt.

Just a little ways up, she sees them. Brittany, Santana and Quinn all there waiting for her. She runs up to them and as she does they see her. They quickly make their way over to Rachel, Brittany is the first to reach her and as she does she wraps the little diva into a tight bear hug and spins her around laughing. "Oh my God! Rachel you were… that was so… I can't even! You were fantastic!" Brittany squeals as she sets Rachel down. The tall blonde is giggling, with happy tears falling down her face.

"Thank you Brittany." Rachel responds as she grasps the girls hands in her own, the urge to kiss her almost irresistible.

"Damn it girl, you had me crying like a baby." Rachel hears Santana say. Rachel turns to her and is quickly pulled into another hug. Santana leans in and whispers in her ear. "I love you, I love you so much and you… That was the most beautiful thing I've ever heard. Ever. I love you." Santana pulls back and is trying but failing to hold back her tears. Rachel beams at the Latina and mouths I love you too.

"Rachel…" She hears Quinn whimper softly her eyes swimming with tears, "that was so amazing. You did it baby girl, you did it." Rachel steps up to Quinn and pauses for a second. She then reaches down and gently places a hand on the blonde's cheek. She smiles at her and gives her a quick kiss on the lips before pulling back.

"Thank you, all of you." She says as she stands before them. Her smile goes from happy to resigned. "But I'm afraid I blew it." All of her girls look at her shocked.

"How can you say that!? You were amazing!" Brittany exclaims. All of the girls nodding their heads in agreement.

"You sounded fantastic!" Quinn says.

"Seriously awesome!" Santana agrees.

"Thank you, but no, I think I blew any chance I had at NYADA with what I said and my song choice, I meant every word I said up there and given the chance to do it over, I would do the exact same thing every time. I don't regret anything, but it really wasn't a professional audition and probably not what they were looking for-"

"I wouldn't be so sure of that." Rachel and her girls all turn to stare as Carmen Tibideaux calmly makes her way over.

"Ms. Tibideaux! What… I uh… what can I do for you?" Rachel stammers out, shocked that she would be sought out after what happened in there.

"Now that won't do." Ms. Tibideaux frowns. "Where is that confident girl I just saw on stage?" She then smiles. "Because I've got to say, I was impressed. What you did took a lot of courage. You are the first person in a long time to give me such a sincere performance. It's been a long time since I've seen a fire like that. And a country song for a musical school audition… bold choice. But you pulled it off, you made me believe that you have what it takes to make it. I get hundreds of people auditioning each year who tell me they want to be like me, that they want to sing like the greats, that they want to be stars. All valid dreams, that may one day, through hard work, come true. You however, you came out on stage and said that you were going to be yourself. That your dreams would be achieved, not because you were trying to be like someone else, but because you were being true to your heart and I believed you. You truly impressed me today and I am not a woman easily impressed."

"Thank you Ms. Tibideaux." Rachel says with confidence.

"You have a lot of talent and you have a lot to learn, but I'm confident you'll do fine. I probably shouldn't say this, not till everything is official, but welcome to NYADA Rachel Berry." And with that Carmen Tibideaux nods her head at the four girls in fair well and leaves.

The four of them are stunned into silence until what just happened finally sunk in and then Rachel is suddenly pulled into a tight hug by Santana and Brittany. Both girls cheering for her and congratulating her. Rachel pulls back from the two girls and beams at them. She then feels a soft hand grasp her own. She looks to see Quinn sitting there and smiling at her. Tears are streaming down her face.

"I… I am so proud of you." Quinn manages to choke out.

"Thank you." She whispers back softly.

"C'mon girls lets go celebrate!" Santana shouts. All of the girls cheer along, as they make their way outside.

** A.N. So here's another chapter and hey it was even a happy chapter… weird lol. I would really like to thank everyone who continues to read and enjoy this story. The song used is 'God Bless The Broken Road' by Rascal Flatts. **


	11. Three Becomes Four

** Standard Disclaimer. I don't own Glee. This is a long chapter, but it has to be, because this is the Quinn joins the group chapter. Yay origins! There is an author's note at the end that I'll hope you'll read, that will explain some of my thoughts as I was writing this. It also has some things about what I'm working on for future chapters as well. This story takes place after the first week of school senior year and before ****Wait What!?**

**Three Becomes Four**

Santana and Quinn were standing in the middle of the pink haired girl's room glaring at each other. They had been shouting for well over an hour and it was finally about to come to a head. It was a Friday night and it was just the two of them. Rachel and Brittany were both at Rachel's house, waiting to hear from the Latina. All three of them had tried to talk to Quinn all week and had met with failure and so Santana decided that it was time to try it her way. Summer vacation was over as was the first week of school and after a week of trying to talk to her nicely as Brittany and Rachel had tried, Santana knew it was time for some tough love. The pink hair and slutty Goth clothes, Santana could have let slide, if that was her new style, fine whatever. Quinn was hot and dressing like that certainly didn't change that. But the attitude and the meanness that had come with it were not okay. Quinn didn't seem to care about anyone or anything, not even herself. She seemed to be content to wallow in her misery and to try and extend that misery to all those around her. And after her blowing up at Brittany today Santana knew it was time to step in.

During the ride home from New York, Quinn had been quiet and pensive. When she and Brittany had tried to talk to her, Quinn had told them that she needed some time to think and that she would catch up with them later. Well later never came and when school started up and Santana and Brittany saw her, they both knew they should have tried harder to get in touch with her. A fact about Quinn, when it comes to emotions and she gets scared, she runs. And Santana should have remembered that, but she had thought that after the talk and the haircut and the bonding in New York, that she and Brittany had headed off the crazy and that Quinn just needed some time to get over Man Boobs McFluffy Nipples. She had been wrong though and Quinn had, had an entire summer to dwell on whatever it was that was bothering her.

"What do you want from me Lopez?" Quinn asks angrily.

"Excuse me! Bitch! Since when the hell am I 'Lopez' to you!?" Santana shoots right back. "Don't think for even one moment you can treat me like some random nobody. I'm Santana Fucking Lopez, and I've been your best friend since we were thirteen! I want to fucking help you bitch, so talk to me damn it!" The key to talking to Quinn when she is angry is to keep pushing her, she knew as long as she kept pressing her then she could get Quinn to explode and reveal what she's been keeping inside. Until then though, Santana knew she was in for a rough fight. But Quinn was worth it, and, really she owed it to the girl. How many times had Quinn been there for her or kicked her ass when she was messing up or hurting Brittany? Too many to count, because that's what best friends did. They called you on your shit.

"Talk to you! What could I possibly have to say to you!?" Quinn shouts.

"Oh I don't know, hmm, how about why you've been such a colossal bitch since school started? Or how about where you disappeared to this summer!?"

"Oh I've always been a bitch, 'Lopez,' but it takes one to know one right?"

"Wow what a witty come-back," Santana says, voice dripping with sarcasm, "and yes you've been a bitch before but never like this. What happened Q, talk to me I'm your friend."

"Don't… just stop. Don't pretend that you care." Quinn whispers quietly, everything from her posture to the expression on her face, screaming anger, except Santana was pleased to note, her eyes. Quinn's eyes were an open book to read for anyone who really knew her, and Santana was an expert. And in Quinn's eyes were hurt and fear, not anger. She was reaching the girl, she was getting close. _'Keep pushing Lopez, you're almost there.'_

"What do you mean, 'don't pretend I care?' You're my best friend, of course I care."

"I needed you! All summer I needed you, and Brittany, but you guys were too busy for me! I guess you found a new friend, huh!? Did you have fun fucking Berry all summer, she must be pretty good for you and Brittany to avoid me like you did! How was it, hmm? Was it fun, did you get yourself some Berry juice this summer?" Quinn asks cruelly and it was only the pain she could see in Quinn's eyes that kept Santana from physically beating the girl down. She knew that Quinn was intentionally being mean, and was trying to piss Santana off enough so that she would leave. But Santana was stubborn and there was no way she was letting Quinn get to her, not when she was so close to getting the girl to open up, but that didn't mean, however, that she would let the normally blonde girl get away with saying something about Rachel.

"I'm going to let that Rachel comment slide, because I know you're out of your mind right now, but you had better watch yourself. Now I don't know what you mean about Rachel, yes we've been hanging out but-"

"DON'T FUCKING LIE TO ME! I saw you with her! You and Brittany and Rachel all cozied up together and making out! I saw you! I went to your house and I saw you, so don't… don't tell me that you guys haven't been… been…" Santana is shocked, she hadn't thought that anyone had known about Rachel joining her and Brittany and the fact that Quinn knew threw Santana for a moment, but it gave her a chance to study the girl, and Santana saw she had finally pushed her just far enough to get her talking.

"Don't get me wrong," Quinn says in a hysterical voice, crying, she's speaking on autopilot now, just where Santana wanted her, "Rachel's hot, I can see why you want her, I don't blame you, but damn it, why her, why did you pick her!? I've… I've, waited so long, and I gave up… and you and Brit, I knew that could never… you guys are so perfect together. In New York I thought maybe it could happen… but then it was just a haircut and I knew it never would… So I tried to move on… and then I saw you… all of you… and you were together… with her… and why? Why… why her… and not…?"

It was hard to follow Quinn, she was so upset that she couldn't even complete a thought or a sentence, but Santana got the gist of it and as she looked into Quinn's eyes, suddenly it all made sense. The constant anger, the acting out, her continually trying to push them away, and yet at the same time trying to keep them close, all of the self-hatred, and how she had avoided them after New York, all of it suddenly clicked in Santana's mind.

How she had never noticed before she'll never know, but now, it was like looking in to a mirror of her old self. Quinn Fabray was gay, and was struggling with coming to terms with it. Not only that but she was in love with her, not only her but Brittany and Rachel as well. _'No wonder she went off the deep end.'_ Here she was struggling to come to terms with something really personal about herself and her two best friends, two people that she also had feelings for, were with another person that the pink haired girl was also trying to figure out her feelings for.

"Quinn…" Santana whispers in shock, as she is processing everything in her mind. It only takes her a second to decide on what to do next, because really there was only one option that made sense to Santana, it was obvious to her, there was only one option that could make Quinn happy again. One option that would not only would make Quinn happy, but herself and Brittany and even Rachel happy as well, in a way that she had never before thought possible. It was simple really, simple addition. They did it with Rachel and now they would do it with Quinn. Santana could feel her pulse speed up as she steps up to the crying girl and, to the girls shock, pulls her into a searing kiss.

And to Santana it feels right, just as right as when she kisses Brittany and Rachel. She just knew that this was what had to happen. It was inevitable really, Quinn had always been there, just on the outside, and Santana couldn't believe she had never seen it before. It was obvious. It had always been Brittany, Santana "and" Quinn, the Unholy "Trinity" and now it was time to bring their girl in.

xXx-Scene Break-xXx

Quinn moaned as she melted into the kiss. She was kissing Santana, she was kissing Santana Lopez and it was more than she had ever let herself imagine! If you hang around Santana and Brittany it is so easy to fall for them, and as their best friend she had fallen hard, but Quinn had known that they only had eyes for each other. Plus with her family, it was just not going to happen so she had locked that part of her-self away. She would be their friend and that would be enough, it was safer, she would date boys like she was supposed to and she would live the life her father wanted for her and she wouldn't have to confront these feelings that she had.

Yes being their friend worked quite well for Quinn, or so she had thought. But she had found being just their friend had been harder than she thought, and her feelings were so confused and messed up that she tried to push them both away. But they wouldn't go and so instead she focused on trying to be "normal" and as a result she slept with Puck and got pregnant. And still they had stayed by her, they had even offered to let her live with them. But Quinn had refused, even after sleeping with a guy, she still had feelings for them and living with them would hurt too much. And so she stayed with Finn, and then Puck, and finally Mercedes, before she finally gave birth to Beth and then gave her up, which brought along its' own set of issues. The only good thing to come of all of that was her mom bringing her back home and that her father was no longer there.

Junior year, Quinn had been determined to get things back to the way they were and as part of that she dated Sam, and while she had like him, he was a sweet guy, she didn't have any romantic feelings for him. She then started dating Finn once again and had hoped that maybe something there would make her feel normal, but nothing changed, she still felt nothing for him. So she focused on things like prom and glee to keep her mind off of these feelings for her friends that she shouldn't have. And then she had started to help Rachel write that song for nationals and she started to feel something for her. And that scared her, she could tell herself that her feelings for Santana and Brittany were just some fluke that came from just being around them so much and that she was just confusing platonic feelings for romantic ones. Her feelings for Rachel, however, had come out of left field or so she had thought. One night while she had been looking through her old sketch books she really looked at some of the sketches she had done of Rachel, she noticed all of the hearts in them and how as the pictures progressed they became nicer and nicer, until they were no longer mocking caricatures of her, but detailed sketches that had been carefully crafted. She sat there and really thought about her interactions with the girl over the years and came to a startling conclusion. She had feelings for Rachel Berry, not only that but they had been around for a long time.

Her last defense against finally admitting that she was gay was Finn. She could pretend she was in love with him and maybe it would become real. She was a master at pretending. But that plan was shot to hell when he dumped her, and at funeral no less, and it had broken her. He had asked her if she even felt anything anymore and she had wanted to scream. She wished that was the case, she wished she didn't have all of these feelings, but she did, and so she shut down and let the crazy start to come out. She couldn't hide behind her family or a boyfriend or her self-delusions any more. She finally admitted to herself that she was gay, and she didn't know how to handle it. So she lashed out and was going to ruin nationals for everyone, because why should they be happy when she was so broken up inside.

But then they stepped in, her best friends, she was so close to telling them everything at that moment and when they had suggested that they knew what would make her feel better, her heart had skipped a beat. Did they know? Did they know how she felt about them? Did they want her too? Quinn had let herself believe it for a single moment, but it seemed too good to be true and so she told them she wasn't interested in being intimate with them. A token resistance, if they had pressed her, even just a little, she would have folded like a deck of cards. But they had just laughed at the idea, laughed at the thought of being with her, not cruelly of course, but it didn't mean that it didn't hurt any less. And so when they suggested a haircut she did what she always did, she bottled her emotions and laughed along and agreed.

After the fiasco that was nationals, she had needed some time to herself. To work through her feelings and to decide what she was going to do next. They didn't want her romantically and Rachel was dating that big oaf, so she had no idea what to do. She couldn't talk to her mother, she couldn't tell her she was gay, she couldn't risk being kicked out again and so for a month she avoided everyone and worked through her feelings. Or so she had thought. And after a month of thinking and debating she decided that she could be okay with just being friends with Santana and Brittany, she loved them and she wanted them to be happy and they made each other happy. So she would support them as a friend, and try to let go of her feelings for them, but she would not lose another person she loved, she would fight Finn for Rachel, she just didn't know how or where to start and so she went to Santana's house, she was going to tell them everything and then ask for their help in winning Rachel over. She knew that they would be surprised, but also that they would stand by her and help her.

When she got there though, she saw something that killed her heart. Brittany and Santana were on Santana's bed and between them, kissing them, was Rachel. Her heart shattered at that moment and she just turned around and left before they could notice she was there, it hurt too much to see. Brittany and Santana wouldn't even for a moment think of her that way, but they had no problem being with Rachel. And Rachel, who had always been all about Finn, Rachel, who Quinn had, until then, been ready to fight for, was with the two girls she had given up on. Quinn was done, it was too much to handle and she was done. She was done with feeling this way, done with caring, and done with them.

She walked around town all day that day, wandering aimlessly, finally ending up at the park. There she met the Mack and the girl had shown an interest in her and listened to her. And Quinn, who was at an all-time low, let herself be seduced by the girl and her world. She started a relationship with a girl who, she knew inside, didn't care for her, because finally someone wanted her, even if only physically, because it dulled the ache in her heart just a little bit. It allowed her to forget, to pretend that she mattered to someone. It was sad, it was pathetic, but it didn't matter. She even began to allow herself to begin to care for the other girl, which she would later find out was a mistake. At least she could say that she never went all the way with the girl, she never had sex with her, something inside of her always held her back, but she came pretty close, and each time she let the girl kiss her or touch her, or she did something in return, she felt worse and worse and dirtier and dirtier. She was spiraling out of control and it finally got to the point that being with the Mack, and not being able to go all the way, no longer dulled the ache and so she had ended things between them. It had been two weeks since then and nobody wanted to come near her and she was just fine with that, and really she couldn't blame them. She tried to convince herself that she didn't want anyone around her anyway.

Nobody came for her, except for the three girls who, no matter what she told herself, she did want around. But she was angry and not thinking clearly and for an entire week had rebuked any advances they made. Finally today, she had snapped at Brittany, she tore into the poor girl and had finished it by basically saying that she wasn't her friend and that she didn't want to see her ever again. The other blonde had left in tears and Quinn, after she had calmed down, when she realized what she had done, that she had made poor sweet Brittany cry, that she had hurt the girl who had been her best friend for years, who was still trying to be her friend, considered for the first time that maybe she should just give up on life all together.

She shouldn't have been shocked when Santana had shown up at her house that night, she had hurt Brittany after all, but she was. But Santana didn't attack her, she didn't hit her, or call her names. Which would have made everything so much easier, she just stepped into the house and said "We need to talk." No anger, just conviction, she was going to make Quinn talk whether she wanted to or not and that pissed Quinn off, she wanted a fight, she wanted to hurt. She did not want to talk.

"Fine." She had responded. "My mom won't be home for a few hours, let's get this over with." And she had led the Latina up to her room. A bit of yelling later and here she was now. Kissing one of the girls she had fought so hard to not feel anything for. And it was so perfect. Quinn had never felt like this from just a kiss before. This was better than anything she had ever imagined.

xXx-Scene Break-xXx

Santana felt relieved when Quinn instantly responded to the kiss and so she began to explore the beautiful girl's mouth. Kissing Quinn felt right, she stirred within her the same feelings that kissing Brittany and Rachel did. For a moment the world stopped and it was perfect. So it came as quite a surprise to the Latina when Quinn suddenly pulls away.

"Nonononononono… no this… no you can't, you can't do this to me…" Quinn exclaims as she backs away from the Latina as fast as she can, not stopping until she bumps into a wall. She shakes her head and then let's herself slide down the wall to the floor as she brings her knees to her chest, she lays her head against her knees and wraps her arms around them. Her shoulders shake as she begins to cry. "It's… no… no… I can't." Santana can hear Quinn quietly sob.

Santana quietly makes her way over to the crying girl and sits down next to her. She wraps her arm around the girl and gently tries to pull the girl into her, but when she doesn't allow herself to be led, Santana doesn't push. "Hey, hey, hey, shh, shh, shh, don't cry." She whispers softly. "Talk to me, what's going on? I thought that this was what you wanted? We can be together. You, me, Britts and Rachel. The four of us together, I know it might seem weird at first, and I know it will take some getting used to, but it can work. It will work. Trust me."

"I do." Quinn sobs, "I want to be with you so much but…" Quinn gasps and tries to finish her sentence but is unable to as she continues to cry. Santana gently runs her hand in comforting circles on Quinn's back. "Hey, its okay, shh, just take a deep breath and gather your thoughts. Take your time Querida. What's on your mind, why don't you think you can be with us?" Santana says softly.

Quinn continues to cry for a few moments before she can calm herself down enough to continue speaking. "I want this… I want this so much… I've dreamed about this, about being with you but I can't." Quinn chokes out.

"But why?" Santana asks again.

"Because… because you don't really want me! I've wanted to be with you… for so long, and… and I want this… so badly. But you don't want me… not really. You just feel… bad or something… and… and I… I won't… I won't let you do this… just because you feel… feel… sorry for me. I won't, I won't do it… and… and it's not, not fair of you to… to offer me this… and not… and not mean it… so please, please… just… go." Quinn loses what little composure she had managed to gather and begins to cry again.

"Oh Q." Santana whispers to her quietly. "Please, please believe me. That's not why I'm doing this, not why I'm offering this. I would never do that to you, I would never play with your emotions like that. I am being totally sincere when I say this, I want you, I want you so much."

Quinn just shakes her head but otherwise doesn't respond, she just continues crying into her knees.

"Please Quinn, don't, don't fight this. Let your-self be happy. I promise you, this isn't about pity or guilt. This makes sense, I want this, I want you. And now that I know how you feel, I'm going to fight for you if I have to, if that's what it will take to make you say yes, then I'll do it, but I'm not going to let this go, I'm not going to leave." Santana says with full sincerity. "If you truly don't want this, then tell me. But we both know you do, and I want you too. Let this happen, don't fight it, and for once in your life let yourself be happy."

"How can you say that?" Quinn squeaks out. "How can you say that you want this, want me, when until now, you have never shown even the slightest interest in me?"

"Because Q, you did a damn good job of hiding it, hiding how you felt. Or maybe I was just so wrapped up in my own issues that I never noticed it before or maybe we were just so close that I couldn't see signs that were there. But believe me, I've been interested. Quinn you're gorgeous, you hit the jack pot in that department." Santana chuckles softly and Quinn lets out a small giggle at that, so Santana knows she has the girls attention. "But Quinn, you are so much more than that. You are caring and compassionate. You're crazy smart and most importantly you're a great friend, my best friend. I know a lot of people, but I can count on one hand the number of them I call my friend. I never acted on anything, because as far as I was concerned you were straight, you didn't think about girls that way. And you were my friend, I may tease you about things, but I would never want to put you in a position where you felt uncomfortable around me. So I never let myself even flirt with you. But now I know, and now I can do something about it."

Santana looks at Quinn and is pleased to see that she is no longer crying and that a lot of the tension has left her body. She's breathing deeply and it's shaky but she has definitely calmed down.

"Okay Q, I need you to look at me for this, please, look me in the eyes." Santana whisper's gently. Quinn takes a few more shaky breaths then lifts her head and stares into Santana's eyes. She looks scared, but also hopeful. Her eyes pleading with Santana. Her lips are quivering and her body is shaking like she is cold.

"Quinn, I want you, I want to be with you and I want you to be with me and Brittany and Rachel. I want you to join us. So how about it, do you want that too?" Santana asks with a soft smile.

Quinn nods her head, she's unable to speak and she looks like she is about to cry again. "Then you're in. It's done." Santana says with sincerity and that was it for Quinn, she starts to cry again. Sobs shaking her body as she nods her head, and this time when Santana pulls the girl into a hug she doesn't resist, she lets her-self be pulled in and held as she releases all of the emotions running through her. And Santana is content to sit there and hold her and stroke her hair as Quinn lets everything sink in.

xXx-Scene Break-xXx

Quinn eventually calms down and both girls are content to stay like that and just enjoy each other's warmth. Santana still holding the pink haired girl and running her hands absentmindedly through her hair. Quinn is curled up on her lap and breathing softly, a small smile gracing her face. Santana is startled, when she feels her phone buzz. She shifts a bit and Quinn gets off her lap and then takes a seat beside her. Santana pulls her phone out. "Got a text" She says. "It's from Rachel and Brittany." She says as she reads it quietly to her-self.

_*From- Rachel: Santana! Why haven't you called!? What is going on!? What is taking you so long!? Is Quinn okay, have you talked to her, how is she!? Brittany and I are going crazy over here with worry! :(_

_*To-Rachel: Don't worry, everything is fine, I've worked it out and I've got great news! So calm down and tell B to not worry either. See you soon xoxoxo ;)_

Santana hits send and she shakes her head fondly. She looks up and is surprised to see Quinn looking at her and that she looks scared. She is shaking once again her eyes are starting to water. Just a moment ago she had been as happy as a clam, what could possibly be wrong now?

"Q, what's wrong?"

Quinn looks down at the floor, "This won't work." Quinn says softly.

"What are you talking about?" Santana asks, puzzled. She really is going to have to work on Q's mood swings.

"This won't work, there is no way that Brittany and Rachel will agree to this. Maybe before today Brittany might have agreed to it, but I was so horrible to her earlier. There's no way she will forgive me. And Rachel, I've always been so awful to her. There is no way she will ever forgive me, let alone agree to go out with me." Quinn says all of this with a quiet resignation in her voice.

"Bullshit." Santana says with a smirk.

Quinn looks up at her startled. "What?"

"I said bullshit." Santana's smirk changes into a real smile. "Quinn, yes you hurt Brittany's feeling today, but she knows you and cares for you just as much as I do. She knows you didn't mean anything you said and she has been worried sick about you, and she loves you. Today didn't change that, I promise."

Quinn nods but Santana can tell she doesn't believe her. "But what about Rachel?" Quinn asks quietly. "I've been nothing but horrible to her, no way she'll be okay with this."

"Quinn she's been more worried about you than anyone, and that's saying something. She has been freaking out about you all week and you two have always had some weird chemistry. I think both of you will be shocked by how easily being together will come." Quinn nods again but Santana realizes that the girl needs a little bit more.

"Listen, them accepting you into this, that's going to be the easy part. Yeah there might be some hesitancy at first but that's normal. Brit and I have known each other since forever, but when we officially started dating there was still a shyness there. It's natural, you're opening your-self up to another person and that's scary. But eventually that goes away and being with them becomes as natural as breathing. The same thing happened with Rachel, there was some hesitancy at first, some caution, and while having another person adds a new dynamic to the situation, it ultimately remains the same as any other relationship. You have to work at it and you will get out of it as much as you put into it. Relationships take work and that's the hard part. Are you willing to put in the work?" Quinn nods her head and while she is obviously still nervous, the fear is gone for now. Santana gently cups Quinn's face in her hands and places a light kiss on her lips. "It's going to be okay Querida. You'll see."

"Come on lets go." Santana stands up and takes Quinn by the hands and helps her up. She then reaches up and pushes a lock of pink hair out of the girls face and kisses her again. They head down to Santana's car and as they drive Santana keeps sneaking peaks at Quinn. The girl is as stiff as a board and is holding her hands in her lap. She won't look up or at Santana and is getting lost in her own thoughts. Santana can't let that happen again so she grabs the girls hand in her own and when Quinn looks at her she lovingly kisses the girls hand. Quinn smiles at her and she knows she has succeeded in distracting the girl. When they reach Rachel's house she again takes Quinn by the hand and leads her inside. At the bottom of the stairs Santana stops them and turns and faces Quinn.

"They're both just up there, but don't worry. Everything is going to be alright. I promise. Okay?" Santana says.

Quinn just nods her head and shuffles on her feat a little bit, she bites her lip nervously, and fidgets slightly. Santana can't help but smile at how cute the girl is when she's nervous. So she leans in and captures the girl's lips for a quick kiss. It calms Quinn down a bit and she then leads the girl up stairs to Rachel's room.

xXx- Scene Break –xXx

Rachel and Brittany both pace nervously in the diva's room as they wait for Santana to arrive. The three of them were having a sleep over at her house since both of her dads were out of town for the weekend. All three of them had tried to get Quinn to open up to them all week. Rachel and Brittany had both agreed that they needed to take a kind and compassionate stand with the girl, show her that she had people who cared about her. And sometimes it seemed to work, other times not so much, but today Quinn had snapped and yelled at Brittany, and the blonde had left in tears. After that they had agreed to let Santana go to Quinn's house on her own and to try and handle things her way, nothing that Rachel or Brittany had tried seemed to work so far, so they agreed. That was two and a half hours ago.

As the minutes passed, agonizingly slow, both girls became more and more anxious. Finally it had been too much and Rachel sent a text to Santana. She had refrained from doing so earlier because they didn't want to interrupt Santana if things were going well. They were relieved by the response they had received and had calmed down, somewhat, though now both girls were really curious as to what Santana's 'great news' was.

"Do you think Quinn will be my friend again?" Rachel hears Brittany ask in a meek voice.

Rachel walks over to the blonde girl, who is biting her lip nervously, and grabs her hands. "I don't think she ever stopped." Rachel kisses the blonde. "I think she is just really sad and she just accidentally took it out on you. But Santana says she has some good news and so hopefully Quinn is going to be okay. She just needs to remember that she has really good friends that she can rely on in you and Santana." Rachel finishes with a smile.

"And you Rachel, you're her friend too right, because you've been, like, totally worried about her too." Brittany adds.

Rachel has to stop and think about that for a second. Her relationship with Quinn could, by some, be described as rocky at best. Both girls had done things to hurt the other in the past, but over the course of the last two years Rachel could honestly say that, yes she did consider Quinn her friend. Things had certainly improved between them and they had both done things to help each other as well. It was certainly an interesting friendship at times but a friendship none the less. Quinn was special, and Rachel could tell that she had so much to offer, but she always held back for some reason. And to Rachel that was a shame, she had this need to help Quinn, to help her bring out her inner light and help her to shine.

"Yeah, and me too." Rachel says to the blonde sincerely.

"I'm really glad you're here." Brittany says quietly, not only referring to here and now, but also to the fact that she is with them.

"Me too." Rachel responds, fully understanding what Brittany is saying.

Brittany and Rachel spend a moment just gazing into each other's eyes and then they move in and start kissing. It's a slow make out session and both girls just take their time and enjoy the tenderness of it.

"Ahem, I leave you guys alone for what, two hours? And you two just can't keep your hands to your selves." Both girls hear Santana tease them. Brittany and Rachel turn and beam at the Latina standing in the doorway.

"I can't help it San, she's just so hot." Brittany giggles.

"What she said, I'm just so hot." Rachel agrees. Brittany nudges her shoulder playfully. "Ego much?" Brittany teases.

"What can I say, some people just got it." Rachel grins impishly, she then leans up and kisses the blonde again.

Santana walks up to the two girls and kisses them both. She then takes them by the hand and they stand in a circle. "Okay, so I've worked everything out with Q. Britt you won't believe what was going on, or that you missed it. You'll probably be just as shocked as I was and then you'll probably want to smack yourself in the head just like I do." Brittany nods her head but looks confused. "And Rachel, mi Amor, this doesn't change anything with you, you're still ours and you're still in and we both love you so much. That hasn't changed and that won't ever change."

Rachel is feeling a little nervous now but nods her head as well. "San what's going on?" But Santana doesn't answer her, she just gives them both a gentle kiss on the lips and then she step back out into the hallway. When she returns both Rachel and Brittany are shocked to see Quinn standing there. She is standing behind Santana subconsciously trying to hide behind the girl. She is fidgeting slightly and won't look up at them.

"Quinn." Brittany gasps.

"Hey… um… hi guys." Quinn stammers out. The tension is thick in the room, nobody speaks, because no one is sure what to say. A few moments pass like this when suddenly Quinn steps in front of Santana and looks right at Brittany. "Brittany… I am so, so sorry. I'm sorry, please, I am so sorry." Quinn begins to cry and just like that the tension is broken. In a flash Brittany has moved up to the pink haired girl and is hugging her tightly, she has tears rolling down her face as well. Quinn repeating a mantra of apologies and Brittany reassuring the girl that it was okay, that she wasn't angry and that she was forgiven. While this was going on Santana moves up to Rachel and takes her hand in her own and gives it a gentle squeeze of affection.

"I'm so sorry B! I didn't mean it, I love you, I am your friend, I'm so sorry, please forgive me!" Quinn sobs into the taller girl. Brittany can feel a weight in her heart lift at these words. Quinn didn't hate her, she was still her friend. Brittany just pulls the girl in tighter and kisses her forehead. They stay like this for a couple of minutes, until Quinn calms down enough to continue, she then pulls away from Brittany and faces Rachel.

"And Rachel, I am so sorry to you too." Quinn's voice cracks. "You are always trying to be a good friend to me and… and I always throw it back in your face… I've treated you so horribly and still… still you keep trying… You keep trying to be my friend and I am just awful to you… and I don't deserve you… and I am just so sorry!"

Rachel smiles compassionately at the girls words. This was the girl that Rachel saw when she looked at Quinn. This girl who felt so strongly and who cared so much about others, the one that has so much to offer the world. The girl that she cared for. That Quinn was back. She steps up to the crying girl and pulls her into a hug as well. "It's okay Quinn," she whispers soothingly, "it's okay, don't worry about it."

"No it's not," the girl sobs, "but I promise you… that no matter what you guys decide… I will do my best to make it up to you… I promise."

Rachel nods her head in acceptance of the girl's words, she hugs Quinn tightly before pulling away slightly. "Okay Quinn," she says softly, "I look forward to being able to truly becoming friends with you." Rachel is beaming at the girl. "But, what do you mean, what do we have to decide?"

"I think this is where I should step in." Santana says as she moves to stand by Quinn. "Why don't you two have a seat on the bed and we'll fill you in on what's happening. There are a lot of things that we need to talk about." Brittany and Rachel nod their assent and take a seat on the edge of the bed. "Long story short, Quinn is in. It's going to be the four of us now." The two girls look at each other surprised at this announcement. Both Rachel and Brittany are unsure how to react to this, they both really like Quinn, but neither of them had ever even considered the possibility that Quinn might be gay. Let alone that she would ever even be interested in any of them that way. They stare, stunned, as Santana moves Quinn so she is standing in front of them. The pink haired girl is no longer crying but tears are still falling down her face. She looks really scared and it seems that the only reason she hasn't bolted for the door is the fact that Santana is standing next to her. The Latina is running a comforting hand up and down her back.

"Before we do anything else, Quinn, Querida, you need to talk to us. You need to let everything out. And we need to hear it. We need to know where you're coming from, you've gone through so much and have kept it in for so long. You need to let it out okay? So just talk, tell us whatever you feel you need to." Santana says gently.

Quinn takes a deep breath and then exhales shakily. "I guess it starts the day we met, you know, at the mall-"

And so Quinn talks and she tells them everything. About when she first became their friend. How and when she began to feel more than friendship for them. How she bottled away her feelings because she thought they were wrong. How she tried to be "normal" and how she tried to push them away. About how that made things worse. She talks about her conflicting emotions and how she slept with Puck to try and prove something to herself. She talks about the hell that was her pregnancy, about being kicked out and regretting every single day that she had to give up her little girl. She tells them about how she was too afraid to go to them for help and how her feelings grew stronger for the two of them as time went by. She talks about how she began to develop feelings for Rachel as well. How she felt so disgusted with herself by these feelings she was having, because of what she was taught growing up, that she just couldn't handle it and so she had pushed all of that self-loathing on to the girl. She tells them about how she came to the realization that she was really gay. About when she finally admitted her feelings to herself, not only for Brittany and Santana, but Rachel as well. She tells them about how scared she was, and how the reason she reacted so badly to Finn dumping her was because he was her last defense against truly admitting that she had these feelings for these three girls.

She then got to the part about New York. She tells them about how she had allowed herself for just one moment to hope that Brittany and Santana had felt the same way for her that she did them. How devastated she had felt that they had not even for a moment thought of her like that. About how it felt to watch Rachel and Finn kiss on stage. How she needed some time to really collect her thoughts. She tells them about how she had finally decided that, yes, she could still have these feelings for the two girls and just be their friend. She tells them how she had decided she couldn't lose Rachel that way and that she was going to fight for the girl and that she had decided to come and talk to Brittany and Santana and tell them everything, about her feelings for them and for Rachel, and then ask them for help in winning Rachel from Finn. She then continues on to tell them when she had finally gathered the courage to go through with her plan, to finally talk to them, how she had come across them all together and how it finally broke her.

She didn't want to, but she even tells them about her relationship with the Mack over the summer. Quinn felt they deserved to know what the other girl had helped her realize about herself. That she was poison to everyone around her. She talks about how it had started off nice, that it felt good to have someone who actually wanted her. But that as time went on that it stopped being so nice. She kept being pressured for more and more and that as things progressed she kept giving more and more, and how she always felt so dirty and disgusting afterwards. She tells them about how she was told repeatedly that she should feel lucky that someone actually wanted her, especially with all of her baggage, that if she didn't loosen up she would just end up alone. That there was a reason that everyone kept leaving her. That something about her drives people away, that there really was something inherently wrong with her, and that she should be grateful that she finally had someone willing to put up with it. And how she had realized she couldn't disagree, because she did feel that way, that there really was something wrong with her. She talks about how when she finally broke things off with the other girl, that she had been laughed at because the other girl hadn't cared, that she had just been an attempted notch in the bed post_._

"_I just wanted to be able to say I fucked Quinn Fabray, oh well, can't win em' all."_

And she finally tells them about why she yelled at Brittany. How between Rachel and Brittany being so sweet and so kind to her that it just messed with her world. She had wanted so badly to hate them, because hating them hurt so much less than loving them. How it was all just too much and how all it took was that one week of just seeing them and just talking to them to bring back all of these feelings she had tried to bury. It was too many conflicting emotions and she had just snapped.

By the time Quinn finished she was a sobbing wreck on the floor. She was on her knees and leaning forward. Her arms wrapped around herself, trying to physically hold herself together. She was looking down at the ground, too ashamed and too scared to look at any of the girls in the room. They knew, they now knew, just how broken and worthless she was.

The three girls weren't doing much better. Santana was on the floor next to Quinn, she had an arm wrapped around the girl, trying to provide some comfort. She had worked out a general outline of what had happened in her mind but hearing all of the details was shocking. She just couldn't believe she had missed so much, hadn't realized just how badly Quinn had been struggling. So many signs that had been there and she had missed them. Also the relationship with that bitch, mack truck or mac n' cheese or whatever the fuck her name was, that had come as a complete and unpleasant surprise. Santana felt a whole range of emotions when she had heard that part of the story. First she felt rage, rage that her friend had been in a situation like that and she hadn't known about it, hadn't been there to help her, protect her. Anger and extreme jealousy that someone else had touched her girl in any kind of intimate manner. Yes Santana was already thinking of Quinn as her girl. And the fact that they hadn't appreciated what they had. That they had Quinn as theirs and didn't care, didn't want her, or love her, that they had toyed with her girl's feelings. Oh yeah, Santana was thinking vengeance of biblical proportions. A rain of slushy strikes the likes of which McKinley had never seen before. Like forty days and forty nights, build yourself a damn arc, of bright red cherry slushy facials. And guilt because maybe if she had been a better friend, looked out for her like a friend should have, then it would have never happened in the first place. But mostly, after hearing Quinn's story, it confirmed to her that she was right to bring the girl in. That her best friend needed all of the love and support she could get, and that she, Brittany and Rachel were the only ones who could do it. The only ones that would love Quinn the way she deserved.

Brittany was in shock, hearing it now she could look back and totally see all of the signs, but at the time she just missed them. Part way through the story Brittany had moved from the bed to the floor next to her, to try and provide some support and comfort to the upset girl. Poor Quinn she felt she had no one to go to, no support, because her two best friends, the ones she should be able to talk to about it, were the ones that she was in love with. Like Santana, Brittany had thought of Quinn, on occasion, in a more than friend's kind of way before, but also like Santana, Quinn was her best friend and she didn't want to make the girl uncomfortable around them. So she didn't flirt, not overtly any way, and other than just the occasional day dream never let herself consider the possibility of being with the girl in that way. The whole dating that other girl thing wouldn't have been a big deal except for two things. One, because of how much being with that girl had hurt Quinn instead of helping her. Brittany did not let people get away with hurting her friends and someone had hurt her best friend terribly and there would definitely be hell to pay. That bitch had preyed on Quinn's insecurities and had used her, and hadn't even cared, was proud of it even. A quick glance between herself and Santana had confirmed to the blonde that she and the Latina were on the same page as far as that was concerned. Brittany was also jealous, jealous that somebody else got to date Quinn. Somebody else, that wasn't her or Santana or Rachel, had gotten to hold the girl, and kiss her, and hug her. They had that opportunity to be with this amazing girl and they had used it to hurt her. Well Brittany was not going to waste this opportunity, like Santana, now that she knew the story, knew how Quinn felt, there was only one option in Brittany's mind, Quinn was in. Just like with Rachel they would bring Quinn in.

Rachel's mind was a blur of emotions, she couldn't pinpoint how she was feeling. Shock, anger, empathy, jealousy, compassion, affection and so many other different emotions swirling around in her head. But Rachel just couldn't think right now, all she could do was stare at the sobbing girl in front of her. And so Rachel focused on that, focused on the feelings that the sight brought out in her. Rachel could feel herself shake as she slowly stood up and made her way over to the girl, where she then knelt down in front of her. She gently cups the girls face in her hands and raises her head so she can stare into Quinn's eyes. She can't help but think how beautiful the girl is, puffy eyes and running nose included. It's not love, not yet, love takes time, but she does feel a genuine affection for the girl that she could see one day growing into love. And Rachel realizes she never wants to see this kind of pain on the girls face ever again. She had been a little hesitant about Santana's declaration that Quinn would be joining them, but looking at the girl, and going with her gut reaction, she could see it working out. Rachel could easily see herself falling in love with this girl. So Rachel looks to both Santana and Brittany and when they look to her she nods her head in assent. That yes she was okay with Quinn joining them, after that she leans in and captures the girl's lips in her own for their very first kiss.

xXx-Scene Break-xXx

Quinn felt shocked when Rachel's lips pressed against hers', so shocked that it managed to stop her crying. She had been so sure, so certain, that after she had told them everything, after she had explained what she had gone through, all of the mistakes she had made, that they would realize just how broken she was. That they would realize that the best thing for them was to get as far away from her as possible. So when Rachel had kissed her, she didn't know quite how to react at first. But she soon found herself returning the kiss. Kissing Rachel felt just as good, just as right, as when she had kissed Santana. And she found herself remembering what Santana had said earlier_, "You will be shocked by how easily being together will come."_ And she was right kissing Rachel was easy and if felt really nice.

She moaned in disappointment when Rachel pulled away. "Sorry, I probably should have asked you before I did that." Rachel says sheepishly.

"Oh… no… it was really… I mean … I liked it…. a lot." Quinn stammers out, blushing furiously. Rachel just smiles shyly in return and looks down for a second looking a little embarrassed. "Thanks, I… I liked it too."

Brittany as she is watching the two, smiles. It was so cute how shy the two of them were acting and looking over at Santana she could see that she felt the same way. As she was watching them though, Brittany comes to a realization. She is the only one who hadn't got to kiss Quinn yet. And that just won't do. She had just watched Rachel do it, and while she hadn't seen it, she would be willing to bet Lord Tubbington's rehab money that Santana had kissed her earlier. And that just wouldn't do, she wanted the chance to show Quinn how much she loved her too.

"Ahem," Brittany says softly a big smile on her face as she gets Quinn's attention. "So I was wondering… can I kiss you too?" She bites her lower lip in anticipation.

"Oh!" Quinn squeaks out quietly. She doesn't say anything but she nods shyly as she looks at the ground. And so Brittany leans in and discovers just what Santana and Rachel had discovered. Just how wonderful and right, kissing Quinn felt. She deepens the kiss a little more and she is pleased by the light moan that escapes Quinn's lips. She would have loved to take it further but Quinn was really emotional right now and she didn't want to take advantage of the girl so she reluctantly pulls away, determined to do that again soon.

Quinn is as red as a tomato right now and all three girls find it adorable. "See Q? I told you that they would want you too." Santana says with a big grin, she then leans in and gives the girl a peck on the cheek. "You're in."

xXx-Scene Break-xXx

After how emotional today had been, the girls decided that any more serious conversations or questions could wait till tomorrow. They needed to calm down a bit and just enjoy each other's company. They decided to watch a movie and they eventually agreed on Funny Girl, Rachel's favorite movie. Brittany and Rachel had cuddled up under a blanket on the couch to watch and Santana had taken Quinn and held the girl while they sat on the love seat. When the movie was over they just sat with each other and talked about whatever came to mind. From classmates, favorite movies, and plans for tomorrow to just how ridiculous those purple pianos had been.

"Those things are crazy, what were you guys thinking?" Quinn laughed. "Someone needs to set those things on fire or push them off a cliff or something." That had gotten a scolding "Quinn!" from Rachel, and whoops of laughter and agreement from Brittany and Santana. The conversation remained light and silly and flowed easily between the four of them.

"Well, should we head to bed?" Brittany eventually asks. "It's almost two in the morning."

Rachel yawns and nods, as she stretches out and says "Sounds good to me." Both of them get up and start to head up stairs to Rachel's room.

"Sure," Santana responds, but doesn't get up quite yet. She had felt Quinn stiffen a little bit on her lap when the suggestion for bed had been made. So she pulls the girl back into her embrace as she tries to get up and then she leans in and whispers quietly to Quinn. "Hey, what's wrong Q?"

"Um… when she says go to bed, does… does she mean, go to bed or… you know?" Quinn quietly stammers out her face tinged with a slight pink.

"Just sleep Querida." Santana responds, giving the pink haired girl a comforting squeeze.

"Oh," Quinn breathes out in relief, but then looks at her with a worried expression. "Not… not that I… you know, don't find you all attractive… I do, you are… it's just, I'm not… I'm not… you know… ready."

"Hey don't worry about that okay? You set the pace as far as that goes. We won't pressure you into anything you're not ready for, just let us know when you are okay?" Santana says kindly.

Quinn nods her head gratefully and then leans in to give Santana a kiss but hesitates, not sure if it's okay. Santana seeing her hesitancy rolls her eyes affectionately and captures the girl's lips with her own.

"Let me just say this right now, you can kiss me whenever you want." Santana winks. "Got that?"

Quinn giggles and nods her head, she takes Santana's hand and they head upstairs to join the other two.

"Um, I didn't bring anything to sleep in." Quinn says to the Latina.

"I guess you'll have to sleep naked." Santana responds with a completely straight face. But she can't maintain it for long and starts to giggle at the look of shock on Quinn's face. When the pink haired girl sees the girl begin to laugh she can't help but let out a laugh as well as she rolls her eyes.

"Oh, you suck." Quinn says as she playfully bumps Santana's shoulder. Grateful that the Latina is being so playful. It makes her feel safer and more comfortable, and less like she is intruding.

"I'm sure Rachel has something that you can borrow for tonight." Santana responds still giggling a little. After getting up to Rachel's room and getting ready for bed Quinn finds herself snuggled between Rachel and Brittany. She and Rachel are lying on their sides facing each other. Rachel gives her a light kiss on the nose and says quietly, "You'll find that Santana and Brittany are very affectionate sleepers." Santana is on the other side of Rachel and wraps her arm around the girl and pulls her closer and snuggles in. "Whatever, I need's to gets my cuddlez on." Santana mumbles into Rachel already half asleep. "See." Rachel says fondly.

Brittany is pressed in behind her, an arm around her waist. Her face buried in Quinn's hair. "It's totally not fair, Santana has been hogging you all night." Brittany had pouted when they were setting up sleeping arrangements. A couple minutes pass, the only sound in the room is the gentle rhythm of the four girls breathing and as they drift off to sleep.

"Quinn?" Brittany mumbles. "Should, I dye my hair pink too?" Quinn can tell the girl is more unconscious than conscious at this point. Quinn thinks about it for a moment before responding.

"I don't think so." She whispers back quietly. "I love your hair, it's all golden and yellow and sunny and bright. Just like you. Besides I don't think I'm going to keep mine pink much longer."

"Why? You look totally hot."

"I just don't think it's me do you?"

Brittany doesn't respond and Quinn is pretty sure the girl has fallen asleep, until she hears a quiet. "No, not really, but you know maybe keep some pink, cause it's cute."

"Maybe," Quinn considers before sleep finally takes her.

**A.N. Okay so I am really nervous about this chapter, and I'll be very interested to hear what you all thought of it. That being said other than a couple of small detail changes here and there this is how I always imagined Quinn getting together with the girls from the very beginning of this story and I am surprised by how little my original concept for this chapter actually changed. **

**For me it was super important that it was Santana who brought Quinn in. They are both such strong and dominant personalities that to me it just wouldn't work if it was one of the other girls who were to do it. I think that if Rachel or Brittany were to have done it that the two of them would have just butted heads a little too much. But because it was Santana, Quinn will kind of look to her as she gathers her bearings and works out her place with the other two girls. Quinn needs a confident Santana to help her as she starts this journey with them. Now I know that Quinn's induction might seem fast but it is supposed to be. For Quinn, in my world, she was already almost there, already almost a part of it, they just needed a catalyst to see it. So while it was a hard road to get there, once the decision was made it was easy for both Santana and Brittany to embrace it. Santana because as far as she's concerned, all Quinn joining them will do is add a physical aspect to a relationship that already existed. And the same holds true for Brittany to a certain extent. But with Brittany she also doesn't do anything halfway. The moment that Quinn joined them, it was a go for Brittany. Rachel is a little more hesitant, but that has more to do with her own insecurities about relationships in general, than any real worry about Quinn joining.**

**Now for the Mack part of the story. I just don't think being depressed, or even heart broken, would have caused Quinn to go all skank. If it was just depression, she would have stayed alone all summer, avoided everyone and when school started, she would have shut down, not lashed out. She would have been basically ice queen Quinn, not scary skank Quinn. Something or someone had to lure her down that road. In this case it was The Mack, a girl who found Quinn physically attractive and wanted to sleep with her. She saw how messed up Quinn was feeling and tried to use that to her advantage, and Quinn who was broken hearted about the three girls, jumped at the chance to finally have someone who cared for her, and made all of these changes in the hopes that it would be something real. And from there it spiraled out of control until you had smoking, pink haired, nose -ring, fake tattoo, angry at the world Quinn.**

**Now as for what I have planned for future chapters. I don't know when they will appear but here is what I'm working on currently. I'm working on the four girls coming out to their parents. I'm working on the Judy finds out chapter. A Beth chapter has been in the works for a while, but it is kicking my ass, so I don't know when I'll be ready to publish it. Just know that it's being worked on. I also am working on Santana and Brittany getting together. And I am also working on when Rachel joins them. **

**There is a reason I didn't do this as a chronological story lol. And that is because I have to jump around, I get bored with ideas really easily and so if I'm going to write I have to work on what I am inspired to write and not what I feel I am obligated to. Being able to move around like I can in this one shot format I've been doing really allows me the freedom I need to write. And after I get new ideas out I revisit old ones and it seems to be working for me. This is like what, chapter 11, so why mess with what seems to be working? If this had been done chronologically or in a more traditional format there would have been like two chapters and then I wouldn't have touched it again for years.**

**But anyways, that's what's being worked on currently and will appear eventually in addition to whatever else may jump into my mind. But what I've specifically mentioned above to you will for sure be full chapters one day. I know, I'm sorry, it's a lot of eventuallys and somedays, just know that they will appear, and if it's soon great, if not, I haven't abandoned them it's just that other chapter ideas have captured my interest for the moment. Anyway thank you all for reading. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'll try to post again soon.**


	12. Tease

** Standard disclaimer, I don't own Glee or any of its characters. Sorry about the wait for this chapter. Heads up there is an explicit scene in this chapter. This chapter takes place after ****Q&A or is that B****. The girls are 26-27 in this fic.**

**Tease**

Santana smiles as Brittany gets off the phone and snuggles up to her on the couch. "How's Q doing? Are they having fun?" Santana asks as she wraps her arms around the blonde. Quinn was spending a couple weeks with Beth for the summer and had decided to surprise the ten year old with a trip to Disneyland. Santana was happy that the two of them were able to be as close as they were. It was good for Quinn and she knew how much that relationship meant to both her and to Beth as well. Even after all these years and a lot of effort between the two, things could still be a little strained between Shelby and Rachel. Thankfully they made sure that Beth wasn't aware of it and they made damn sure that it didn't affect Quinn and Beth's relationship, but the tension was there and at times it hurt both women. So Santana was grateful that Quinn and Beth didn't have to go through that.

"Oh they're having a blast, they're going to stay up late and do a Disney princess movie marathon to get them ready for the park tomorrow." Brittany giggles and Santana joins her.

"Well, sounds like they're having fun then." Santana smiles.

"Mhmm." Brittany agrees. "Tons of fun, any word from Rachel?"

"I got a call from her earlier." Santana replies. Rachel was also currently in California though she was with Blaine. They were starring in a romantic comedy together and this was Blaine's very first movie. They had finished filming and were now doing the whole post production promotional tour thing. Interviews, panels, meeting fans, Rachel absolutely adored this part of the film making process. She loved interacting with her fans, and the fact that she got to do it with a friend made it all the better for their little diva.

"She's doing good, she'll be on 'Conan' tonight and then she and Blaine will both be on 'Ellen' tomorrow. They should be back next Wednesday. Poor Blaine is still a little nervous about doing all these interviews, but Rach is looking out for him." Santana continues.

"That's good, and how is Blaine, is he doing okay?" Brittany asks with concern in her voice.

"As well as can be expected after the divorce and everything else he's gone through, but he seems to be holding it together and like I said Rachel is keeping an eye on him."

"Good. He's a sweet guy and he needs someone who'll appreciate him." Brittany says angrily. "Not someone who is going to sneak around behind his back and-"

"I know babe." Santana interrupts, she completely agrees with Brittany but if she doesn't cut the girl off now this will be the subject of their talks for the rest of the night, "I completely agree, but don't you think that he probably feels like this issue has been talked about to death? And remember he really wants to keep things civil between everyone. We'll just continue to keep an eye on him and let him know that we're here for him if he ever needs anything. It sucks right now, but he'll find the right guy eventually. Not everyone is as lucky as us, to find our soul mates in high school."

Brittany huffs, "Fine, you're right, I'm just super pissed off for him but fine, whatever, I'll drop it."

"So what time did you have to be in the studio tomorrow?" Santana asks as a change of subject.

"Oh not till twelve, it should be pretty easy though, just some touch ups to the choreography, we won't actually start filming the music video till next week," Brittany lets out a long sigh, "Ugh I'm going to be sooo bored tomorrow. I wish I didn't have to go, and really if I'm being honest I only took this gig as a favor to Charles."

"I was wondering why you took this job, how is Chuck?" Santana asks curiously.

Charles Begote and his wife Heather were good friends to their family. They were two of the few people in the world, outside their own families, to know about the four of them. He's an older guy, in his mid-sixties and he sits on the board of directors of the company that owns the network Quinn's TV show is on. Chuck and Q had met at a coffee shop a couple years back and had struck up a conversation about a book that Quinn had been reading. They both got so into it that Quinn had completely forgotten about the movie she was supposed to meet the three of them at and he forgot to attend his own birthday dinner. It was a strange friendship between the two families to say the least, but Santana counted herself very blessed to have it in her life. Chuck and Heather were two of the warmest people Santana had ever met. He had personally read the movie manuscript that Q had been working on at the time and had absolutely loved it, but instead of a movie he convinced her that it would make a better television series.

"_It's real and raw and would be nothing like any of the cookie cutter shit that's on TV now a' days. You could touch a lot of people with this story, especially if you're allowed to go deeper into the character's lives than a movie would allow you to."_

Quinn had initially been really hesitant to move from plays and films to television, but with a lot of support and encouragement had agreed to give it a try. Chuck had fought tooth and nail for Q to have creative control of the series as both lead writer and director. And because of his position on the board of directors, he got his way. The award winning series was now ending its' second season as the most watched television series in the country. In addition to television he also had his hands in a lot of different films and he had quite a few contacts in the music industry. He wasn't well known outside of the entertainment business, and he prefers it that way, but inside it his voice held a lot of weight.

"He's doing good, He and Heather are on a safari right now, anyway he promised a friend of his at Disney that he would find someone to choreograph a music video featuring a few of their stars. He asked me if I could help him out and since it could be done here in New York and because it's Charles I agreed. It's actually not that bad, most of the time, just super easy, so I'm kind of bored the entire time."

That was the thing with Brittany she was always pushing the boundaries of what was possible in terms of dance. It's what made her so sought after as a choreographer and gave her the leeway to pick and choose what she wanted to work on. A position very few people in her line of work ever reached. But Brittany was awesome and people knew that if they wanted their music video, or concert, or musical or whatever to be awesome, Brittany was as close to a sure thing as you could get. She loved the challenge of creating new routines and had really come up with some breathtaking moves. She was always breaking the mold where dance was involved. The downside is she got bored really easily and if she didn't feel like she was being challenged then she had a hard time staying focused. She always got the job done of course, and it was always done very well, but she would be miserable the entire time.

"Well I guess that's not completely true. Some of it has been pretty fun. There's actually a lot of talent there and I wouldn't mind working with them again in the future. They're all pretty cool kids and they are eager to be there and to work and learn… well all of them except for one."

Brittany rolls her eyes as she begins to speak with a high squeaky voice. "_'Why do I have to do this!? How come they're up front!? That's stupid! Do you know who I am!?'_ Blah, blah, blah, blah blah."

"Bitch I know 'exactly' who you are, you're the little brat who I'm going to strangle if you don't keep your damn mouth shut!" Brittany fumes. "Oh what I would give to smack that little shit upside the head."

Santana knew exactly which kid Britt was referring to, she had complained about them before, and she couldn't help but start giggling at that. "Oh you think it's funny do you?" Brittany says in a voice that shows she isn't amused. Although the glint in her eye gives away the fact that she isn't really mad. Santana just grins and nods her head. "And I guess you'll find it amusing when you see me on the six o' clock news and the headlines read, 'Beautiful, talented, sexy, awesome, dancing, goddess strangles little brat. The nation sympathizes with her, but unfortunately the law is the law.'"

*Snort* "That's what the headlines are going to say are they?" Santana asks, she has her teeth clenched and a huge grin is plastered on her face which is red and her shoulders are shaking. She's trying really hard not to laugh because she can tell that Brittany is actually pretty annoyed with the situation. But still that was funny and she's feeling playful right now.

Brittany arches her eyebrow in an uncanny imitation of Quinn. "I was paraphrasing."

*Snort* "Right… *snort*… paraphrasing… *snort*… Gotcha…"

"Mhmm…" Brittany gives Santana a predatory look and before Santana can do anything to defend herself Brittany pounces. She is tickling Santana's sides and it's all Santana can do to breathe, she is laughing so hard.

"You still think it's funny? Hmm? Do you still think my having to deal with an obnoxious little brat is funny?" Brittany taunts the laughing and squealing girl.

"No… Oh… God no!... Ha ha ha… no…. ha ha ha…. Please…. Ha ha ha!"

"Now, I want you to apologize for not being more sympathetic. Go on baby, tell me you're sorry." Brittany giggles as she increases her efforts on the wriggling girl beneath her.

"Oh God!... I'm… Sorry!... Ha ha ha… Oh God!... Ha… ha…. Ha!... Sorry… sorry… oh God!... I… Can't… I can't… Breathe… breathe…. Ha… ha ha ha…"

Brittany continues to tickle the girl for a few more moments before she finally stops and pulls away. Santana is lying on her back, her chest heaving as she tries to catch her breath. Her arms are above her head and her eyes are closed. She's still letting out little chuckles as she tries to calm down. As Brittany takes a moment to admire her girl's body an idea strikes her and a wicked smile crosses her face as she leans in over Santana and holds the girls arms in place with one of her own. She then leans down and captures the girls lips with her own.

Santana can't stop the moan that escapes her lips as Brittany begins to kiss her. God she loves this girl. She can't think straight, all she can do is get lost in the sensations that the blonde is giving her. Santana gasps when Brittany pulls her lips away and moves on to attack her neck.

"Oh God-"

"Britt-"

Santana lets out a squeak when she feels Brittany's hand slide down underneath the waistbands of her pants and panties and then begins to tease her entrance for a few minutes before she inserts two fingers into her. She groans as the blonde begins pumping her fingers in and out at a slow and steady rhythm, using her palm to stimulate her clit. "Oh… Britt… mmm…"

"Does that feel good baby?" Brittany whispers in her ear seductively.

Santana buck her hips as she lets out a whimpered "Yes…"

"Do you want me to keep going?" She asks as her fingers begin to pump in and out at a faster pace.

"Oh… God… Yes! Please keep… keep going… oooh."

Brittany doesn't say anything in response; instead she begins to nibble on the Latina's ear. Santana can feel the pressure inside her building as she gets closer and closer to her climax. Brittany touching her in all of the right ways, bringing her closer to the brink.

"Oh yes, I'm… I'm going to… to."

"Are you close baby? Are you going to come?" Brittany is grinning wickedly at her, eyes dark with arousal.

"Yesssss… oh I'm going to… to… Hey wait, what, what are you doing!?" Santana gasps.

Brittany smiles sweetly as she pulls her fingers out of her girlfriend. "I don't think you were serious about your apology."

Santana's eyes widen in shock. "What!? Are you serious, baby please!" Santana can't believe this, she is so close, she bucks her hips trying to get that last little bit to push her over the edge.

"Yeah, it wasn't very nice of you to laugh at me." Brittany leans in and kisses the girl on the lips, her fingers dancing just outside of the Latina's wet folds, stimulating her, teasing her as she keeps Santana close to the edge.

Santana groans in frustration, she is so close. She tries moving her hips, trying to increase the contact between her and the blonde's hand. Her mind racing as she tries to think of something, anything, that she can do that will put her over the edge. Grant her the release she so desperately needs. But Brittany counters her at every turn, teasing her, keeping her stuck in this state of ecstasy without any way of release. She's being kept on that edge, that point where she can almost reach it, but not quite. Frustrated she tries to move her hands down to finish it herself, but her hands are gently but firmly held in place above her head by the blonde.

"Baby…" Santana mewls, "please… I'm sorry… please… "

Brittany smirks, Santana is just so adorable. "Hmm, I don't know if I believe you. I think maybe I'm a little tired now and maybe I should just go to bed."

Santana whimpers at the thought. "Please… ah… baby… I am, ooh, I am… I am so… so sorry. Please I'll do… anything… anything to make it up to you. Just please… stop teasing me." She pleads.

"Anything?"

"Oh God yes! Please, anything!"

"Deal." And with that Brittany pushes two of her fingers back into Santana's core. Pumping them in and out at a furious pace, once again using her palm to rub the Latina's swollen clit. Santana moaning and thrashing about, and when Brittany curls her fingers in just the right way, striking her G-spot, that was it, she was gone. Her orgasm crashing through her like a tidal wave, Brittany slowing down as she gently moves her fingers in and out of Santana helping her ride it out.

Brittany gives the girl a moment to recover before kissing her, "Let's take this to the bedroom."

"Wha-?" Santana mumbles out, still seeing stars.

"You said you would do anything I wanted." Brittany says playfully as she pulls the Latina up to her feet and then hefts her over her shoulder.

"Brittany!" Santana squeals as Brittany marches towards her room with a big smile on her face.


	13. Blink

** Hey guys, sorry about the long wait for the update. School and work and just life in general. Well I think it's pretty safe to assume you know how it is. Anyway, standard disclaimer I don't own Glee or any of its characters. This chapter takes place just prior to and during the chapter "Can't Breathe."**

**Blink**

An out of body experience. That's the only way Quinn could describe her situation right now. She seems to have this almost omnipresent sight into the immediate world around her, able to see and experience everything that is happening around her with perfect clarity. But she feels disconnected, she knows what is happening right now at this very moment is happening to her, but she doesn't feel like it is, and everything seems to move so slowly. She watches as the car crumples in on its' self, like it is a paper bag, and watches as it wraps itself around her body. She watches as her body jerks around, as if attached to marionette strings. Her head hitting the window and watching as the already cracked glass shatter. She watches her head as it slams into the deploying air bag and then slams back into the seat. She watches as blood and glass shards fly around her like tiny planets a drift in space. She can detect the scent of burning rubber, and blood, and metal. She can hear the sounds of tires screeching, and metal tearing, and glass shattering. None of it feels real though, none of it could really be happening to her though, could it?

It just wasn't possible for it to be happening to her. She is watching it as it happens, she is experiencing it. But it's muffled as if all of this carnage around her isn't real. Just a very vivid dream. Yes, that's it, a dream. She is dreaming that's what is happening. She must have fallen asleep at the party, that's it, that makes sense. She never left to go get more soda, she never got into her car to drive, and she was never in this accident. It is all just a dream. Just a dream and any moment one of her angels will be here to wake her up.

She blinks.

The lights are bright. They alternate blue and red and the flashing is making her eyes hurt. A shadow passes across her field of vision. She tries to turn her head to follow it but finds that she can't turn her head. Damn it those lights are bright, they keep alternating and now she's starting to feel a little nauseous. What are they; can't somebody turn those damn things off? Luckily for her the shadow passes in front of her again and stays in her line of sight. She thinks she might recognize the shadow that's in front of her. It's blurry but her vision is starting to clear. The shadow is a person, she can't quite see who they are, but their mouth keeps moving like they are shouting at her. Saying something she can't make out. All she can hear is the sound of her own breathing and a sharp ringing in her ears. She's trying to figure out what the blur is saying. She squints her eyes and is able to make out who the blur is, its' Benjamin, what's he doing here? Is Brittany here with him? What's going on? He keeps talking to her; he looks really scared right now. Is there something wrong with Brittany, is she okay? Why won't he speak up, if something's wrong with Brittany she wants to know about it. What is he saying, why does he look so scared? She watches as he slowly reaches out his hand towards her.

"Wha…what…?" She manages to get out.

She blinks.

When she opens her eyes this time she's lying down. There is a lot of noise and people are yelling. It's still muffled and she still can't make out what people are saying but it's still slightly better than the ringing that was in her head earlier.

"Swee… Can you… me?

The voice sounds familiar and it's the first words she's been able to understand so far. Suddenly a bright light is in her eye, she tries to shut her eyes but something is holding them open.

"Mmm… no," she manages to grunt out, it's so hard to get anything out, why is it so hard to talk?

"Qui… need… eep… ye's… open." She hears the familiar voice speak again, this time she recognizes it. It's Hiram's voice; he has a very comforting voice. She likes his voice. What's he doing here, he had to work tonight. He should be at the hospital. Are Rachel and Leroy here as well? She would really like to see Rachel right now. She tries to look around to see if she can see Rachel around here, but she can't move her head. She'll just ask Hiram that's what she'll do; he'll know where Rachel is.

"Ra…chel…" She mumbles out.

She blinks.

When she opens her eyes again she's lying on a cold table, people in blue are surrounding her and there is an exceptionally bright light over her head. Everything is still muffled, sight, sound, but there is a difference now. She's in pain, a lot of pain. Everything hurts, why does everything hurt? Her breathing picks up, oh God it hurts, what's going on!? She tries to get up, and it feels like hell! It hurts, and she's scared and she wants her girls. She feels hands grab her and start to hold her down. No, they need to let her go. She needs to find her girls. Oh God it hurts, somebody please make it stop. Moving anything at all makes everything hurt that much more. Doing nothing hurts. She tries to move her head side to side, so she can figure out where she's is. Get a layout of where she's at, find someone she recognizes. She feels tears run down her face.

"Help…" she croaks out.

Suddenly comforting hands are resting on her shoulders, and hovering above her is Aiden. Santana's father, he has a very commanding presence, when he's there you pay attention. Santana definitely takes after her father. Oh God she wants Santana right now, she would make everything better. Santana could always make everything better.

"Mija you need to calm down, okay?" His voice, soft and calm. She could hear him, she could actually hear him. It wasn't the muffled noise she had been hearing, but his voice cut through the din, cool and clear.

"Hurts…" she whimpers.

"I know, I know, but you have to be brave, you're in a lot of pain right now, but we're going to take care of that, and were going to make you feel better okay."

"Scared…"

"We're going to fix you right up. I need you to be brave. It's going to be okay, I promise." And with that Quinn begins to settle down.

"San…" She whimpers out. She wants Santana, she wants her girls. Everything is so scary, what's happening, why is she here, what happened, and how come everything hurts so bad?

"Shhh, it's going to be okay."

She blinks.

**A.N. So I can't remember if I gave Santana's father a name in an earlier chapter or if it was in one of my unpublished rough drafts or not but I'm going with Aiden in this story from this point forward. Didn't come up with the name myself, I read it in another fic that I greatly enjoyed. Still don't have an actor who plays him though lol. So yeah sorry the update is so long in coming and I hope you enjoyed it.**


	14. Okay

** Okay so this isn't so much a chapter as a little flash into a moment of time. I love nerd Quinn so you get a little bit of that here. The first half is just a little lighthearted fluff. The second half is a little more serious. It's super short, but it's what popped into my head. So I hope you enjoy. This takes place while Quinn is awake but still in the hospital recovering from the accident.**

**Okay**

Rachel could only stare in shock as her two girlfriends tore into each other, she had no idea that when she did Brittany that favor it would lead to this. It had started off kind of sweet, and Brittany had said that it would go really far into raising Quinn's spirit while she was stuck in the hospital, but it had only been fifteen minutes and it had already degenerated into this.

"Oooh, would you like a little ice for that burn." Brittany says mocking Quinn.

Quinn snarls at her. "Don't get cocky, just because you got lucky once! It doesn't mean a damn thing! And… here's… the… proof." Quinn responds, a superior sneer crossing her face.

"Oh you bitch! I can't believe you just did that!" Brittany screams, completely outraged at what her girlfriend had just done to her.

"The fact is you talk a big game, but when it comes right down to it you really don't have any idea what you're doing." Quinn says haughtily, her condescending tone really grating on the other blonde's nerves.

"Oh I will cut you!" Brittany rages.

"Oooh I'm so scared." Quinn pauses for a second, "Wait do you hear that?" Quinn sounds really concerned, so Brittany stops her raging for a moment to listen

"Hear what?" She asks as she looks around.

"It's the sound of victory, but then I guess 'you' wouldn't be able to hear it."

Brittany's jaw drops and a slightly maniac tone enters her voice. "Oh THAT IS IT! I'm going to kick your ASS!"

As the two blondes continue to threaten each other in Quinn's hospital room, Santana turns to Rachel and says with a deadpan voice "I fucking hate it when those two do this."

"I didn't think that they were capable of this kind of behavior." Rachel says wide eyed as Quinn starts cackling at the devastated look on Brittany's face.

"Well now you know, so don't let it happen again." Santana says with a sigh and with that she walks over to the two blondes and yanks their Gameboys out of their hands.

"No more Pokémon for you until you learn to behave like fucking adults." And with that she turns around and leads a still wide eyed Rachel out the room.

A few moments pass in silence before Brittany turns and faces Quinn.

"Jeez what's her deal?" Brittany asks.  
"I know what the hell?" Quinn responds, both girls looking at each other, completely perplexed by Santana's attitude.

**-Scene Break-**

Just outside the room, Rachel looks on in concern as Santana rests her head against the wall and begins to cry.

"Sweetie what's wrong?" Rachel asks as she pulls Santana into a hug, her body shaking with quiet sobs.

"She's… she's… really going to be okay." Santana whispers out. "I see her, in there and she's all… all busted up and… and broken, but there she is, arguing over that stupid game with Britt." She looks Rachel in the eyes and tears fall down her face as she smiles and begins to laugh and cry at the same time.

"She's… ha… she's going to be, ha ha ha, she's going to be okay."

Rachel can feel the tears begin to fall down her face as well as she smiles. "Yeah she really is."

The two girls continue to hug each other tightly for a few moments before pulling away, still holding hands.

Santana begins to speak "Just watching them play that damn game, it… it was like we were twelve all over again. They love these stupid games but they just get so competitive. The first time I ever heard Brittany swear, she was yelling at Quinn… at Quinn… for something she had done… ha ha ha… and Quinn, she… ha ha ha… she just taunted Brittany relentlessly. But Brittany would just fire right back… I didn't… ha ha ha… I didn't think Brittany even knew those kinds of words… ha ha ha…she made 'me' blush." Santana continues to chuckle for a few moments before her laughs turn into sobs again.

Rachel pulls Santana back into her arms and holds the girl gently in her arms as she continues to cry. "It's okay; it's all going to be okay." Rachel whispers into her girl's ear.

"We almost lost her." Santana quietly sobs into Rachel's shoulder over and over again.

"I know, but she's okay, she's going to be okay."


	15. Dance With Me

**This is just a sweet moment between Rachel and Brittany that has been flitting around my head for a while now. The song used is Dance With Me by Orleans. I don't own Glee or the song used. This takes place between the chapters ****Wait What**** and ****Out****. **

_Brittany singing._

Rachel Singing

_Brittany and Rachel Singing_

**Orleans singing on the radio**

**Dance With Me**

"C'mon Rach, dance with me." Brittany says smiling as she grabs the short brunette by the hands and pulls her off the bed and into the middle of the floor of the room. They were in Rachel's room and had been studying for a few hours now. The radio was on and set to a station that Brittany likes when she heard the song begin to play.

**Dance with me, I want to be your partner**

**Can't you see the music is just starting?**

**Night is Falling, and I am Calling**

**Dance with me**

Rachel can only laugh and shake her head at her girlfriend's antics, but allows herself to be led anyway. She revels in the feeling of being held in the taller girl's arms and the gentle sway of their bodies as they dance in the middle of the floor. "We should be studying, we have that test tomorrow." Rachel reminds her, trying to cock her eyebrow in that way that Quinn does. Obviously she doesn't do a very good job because Brittany just grins and leans in and then begins to sing softly into Rachel's ear.

Fantasy could never be so giving

"_Fantasy could never be so giving"_

**I feel free, I hope that you are willing**

"_I feel free, I hope that you are willing"_

**Pick the beat up, and kick your feet up**

"_Pick the beat up, and kick your feet up"_

**Dance with me**

"_Dance with me."_

Rachel grins and blushes as she listens to Brittany sing quietly into her ear. Brittany then has her do a little spin before bringing her back in close. They continue to slowly twirl around the room and stare into each other's eyes. Brittany is smiling, her eyes sparkling with joy. Rachel's face is still red but she has a smile on her face as well and she can feel herself almost literally melt when Brittany begins to sing to her again.**  
**

**Let it lift you off the ground**

"_Let it lift you off the ground"_

**Starry eyes, and love is all around**** us**

"_Starry eyes, and love is all around"_

**I can take you where you want to go**

"_I can take you where you want to go"_

**Dance with me, I want to be your partner**

"_Dance with me, I want to be your partner"_

**Can't you see the music is just starting?**

"_Can't you see the music is just starting?"_

**Night is Falling, and I am Calling**

"_Night is Falling, and I am Calling"_

**Dance with me**

"_Dance with me"_

Rachel rests her head against Brittany's shoulder as they continue to dance. "I love dancing." Brittany says softly. "For as long as I can remember it's been the only thing I have ever been good at. I know I'm not that smart-"

"Yes you are!" Rachel says fiercely.

Brittany just smiles at her "I have trouble in every single class in school, I don't always understand what's going on, and I get confused easily and sometimes I say stupid things. I'm just being honest about myself-"

"No you're being overly critical of yourself and I'm not going to stand here and let you-"

"Rachel, please its okay. I'm not good at a lot of things and I know I'm not that smart but… I am good at dancing. And I… it's easy for me to express myself when I do it. When I'm dancing it's the only time I don't feel dumb. And I really like it that I can share that with you. Sometimes, I just like to dance with you because I feel like I can let you know how I really feel, you know, better than I can with words."

Rachel's eyes are watering. Yeah Brittany has some troubles with classes, but still if things are explained to her a certain way she gets it. That's why she's here studying with Brittany tonight. All of the girls take the time to tutor her in her classes. Although never together, because not a lot of studying happens when it's all of them. But once they take the time to go through the subject with Brittany she catches on just fine. Her girl is smart. She knows and understands people and emotions and what to say. And she has these flashes of insight that are, at times, amazingly profound. Her girl's smart, she's not an idiot or stupid and she needs to realize that.

Still that wasn't the point right now; right now her girl is trying to tell her how much she loves her so Rachel decides to drop it for the moment and bring it up with others later. She leans in and kisses Brittany on the cheek before she starts to sing the rest of the song.

**Let it lift you off the ground**

"Let it lift you off the ground"

**Starry eyes, and love is all around**

"Starry eyes, and love is all around"

**I can take you where you want to go**

"I can take you where you want to go"

Rachel and Brittany are beaming at each other, it's silly, here they are standing in the middle of Rachel's room dancing and serenading each other and... it was completely perfect. _'Like out of some old movie'_ Rachel thinks fondly. They both touch their foreheads together and begin to sing the rest of the song softly to each other.

**Dance with me, I want to be your partner**

"_Dance with me, I want to be your partner"_

**Can't you see the music is just starting?**

"_Can't you see the music is just starting?"_

**Night is Falling, and I am Calling**

"_Night is Falling, and I am Calling"_

**Dance with me**

"_Dance with me"_**  
**

"Oh man, the song's over." Brittany whines as the last notes of the song play over the radio and she begins to pull away from Rachel to go back to studying. However as the next song comes on over the radio Rachel pulls the blonde in close again and starts to sway them back and forth gently.

"I like this song, dance with me?"


	16. Rock, Paper, Scissor Death Match

** Another silly and fluffy piece. I don't know, I'm just not feeling the angst right now, so I hope that this is okay. I don't know if this piece is a little too crackish for this fic or not, but I hope you enjoy it. As always I don't own anything to do with Glee. This chapter takes place between Okay and Audition.**

**Rock, Paper, Scissor Death Match**

"Brit, I don't think I can take this." Quinn whimpers softly. Both girls are on the couch in Quinn's basement. Quinn is wrapped in Brittany's arms trying to be strong, but her resolve is quickly crumbling.

"Hey no, shhh, shh shh, it's going to be okay baby. I promise." Brittany whispers back as she gently strokes her lovers face, pushing a stray strand of hair behind the girl's ear. Though truth be told Brittany wasn't doing much better right now. How do you deal with a loss like this, it's not something you just move on from. Brittany had already suffered through this once, but she knew that eventually it got better, that everything worked out okay in the end. Quinn however had no such assurance. This was her first time through.

"How? How can it be okay?" Quinn chokes out as tears fall down her face. "She's gone, she's gone and… and she's never coming back!" Quinn then turns hers head into the other blondes shoulder and begins to cry.

"What… what's going to happen… happen now!? I don't understand… what do we do now!?" Quinn wails.

Brittany is now whimpering as well, "we just… we just carry on sweetie. That's all we can do and that's what she would want us to do as well." Brittany pulls her girl closer to her. Maybe this was a mistake, Quinn had only just left the hospital, and something like this might be just a little too emotional for her. But how could she deny all the good that came with it, her girl needed a lift and this was the perfect way to do it. Unfortunately she had forgotten just how difficult some of these moments were to get through.

"But it's not fair… they were perfect! Perfect! How do we just carry on, like it never happened? How can we just move on like that!? Do… do we just… just forget it ever happened!? Ignore what was the best thing to ever… ever…"

"We don't forget sweetie," Brittany cuts off the other girl gently, "we never forget, no, but we do carry on, we realize that it's the best thing we can do and we carry on. You knew it couldn't last forever, but we cherish the memories and carry on."

"It's not right, love like that… doesn't just come around every day, how… how can they just end it like that!?"

By now Brittany is crying as well, her own horrible experience when she went through this the first time comes flooding back to her. "I… I don't…" Brittany is unable to complete her thoughts as she begins to bawl her eyes out as well, both herself and Quinn holding each other as tightly as they can, trying to draw as much strength and comfort from each other as possible as they endure this tragedy. The Doctor and Rose Tyler goodbye scene always made Brittany turn into a sobbing ball of mush and it looked to be having the same effect on Quinn as well.

"I love you Brittany! Please don't ever leave me like that!" Quinn sobs.

"I love you too! And I'll never leave you like that. Nothing will ever… ever keep us apart!" Both blondes are a blubbering mess, holding onto each other for dear life, as they try to reassure each other that everything will be okay.

Across the room Rachel and Santana can only stare in disbelief at the spectacle before them. Their jaws are dropped and they give each other a 'look' before returning their gazes to the emotional train wreck in front of them, only to once again look back at each other and give each other another 'look' as if to say 'they can't be serious?'

Rachel tilts her head in their direction, urging Santana to say something to the crying girls. Santana's eyes widen in horror. No way in hell is she going near that mess, so she gestures for Rachel to say something to them instead. Rachel quickly and vehemently shakes her head no and once again silently urges the girl to say something. Santana and Rachel argue back and forth silently over who should go and talk to their blondes, neither one of them brave enough to volunteer, and both terrified to draw any attention to themselves.

Finally Rachel holds up both hands in surrender and then motions for a game of rock, paper, scissors' to settle the matter. Santana takes a moment to consider the proposal, she definitely has better reflexes than Rachel, so that's a plus, but Rachel can read her very easily and also has a record of beating her at this game. She's undecided until she hears Brittany give a particularly heart breaking sob before she nods her assent.

Santana glares at Rachel, trying to throw her off her game, she loves the girl but there is no way that she is going near those blonde messes. Tough times call for tough sacrifices, and she can see by the gleam in the tiny diva's eyes that she feels the same way. No mercy accepted no quarter given, every girl for themselves. Love is all well and good but this was about survival and sorry Rachel Berry but Santana Lopez is a survivor.

3.

2.

1.

Rock!

Rock!

Scissor!

Scissor!

Paper!

Paper!

Scissor!

Scissor!

Paper!

Paper!

Rock!

Rock!

Sweat falls down Santana's brow. Damn Rachel's good, too good. It's time to up her game, time to pull out all of the stops. This was it, gut check time! She gives the tiny diva a smirk, _'yeah that's right I got you just where I want you. Wait… she's smiling why is she smiling, what's going on in that pretty little head of hers? No! Stop it Lopez, don't let her get inside your head.'_

3.

'_This is it.'_

2.

'_You are a champion.'_

1.

_'GO!'_

Paper!

Scissor!

_'DAMN IT!'_

Santana slumps her shoulders in defeat. Rachel is giving her a cocky grin. _'Damn it, okay time to step up Lopez, you lost fair and square. Put on your big girl panties and talk to your blondes… Screw that!' _

Santana turns to her little diva and gives her the saddest most pathetic look she can muster. She pour's all of her talent and manipulative abilities into a pout. The single most potent and pathetic pout she had ever produced. Years of practicing on her parents have prepared her for this moment. Now was the time to put all of that training to the test. She just needs to keep pouring on the charm. She can see it in Rachel's eyes, the girl is cracking. Just a little bit more and she won't have to go over there. Santana is so close. She can almost taste it until… Quinn lets out a particularly pathetic whimper and Rachel's resolve comes rushing back. Her eyes harden and as she looks into the Latina's eyes she gives a slight shake of her head and then turns away.

Sighing in defeat, Santana stands up slowly and makes her way over to the two crying girls. "Hey guys, how are you feeling?" Santana gently asks as she is internally cringes at that question. It takes all of Santana's willpower to not flinch when both girls turn to look at her, their eyes red and puffy, tear track running down their cheeks and their noses red.

"Sanny!"

"Santana!"

Both girls are bawling at her, she can make out some of what they are saying; most of it is gibberish though. Santana can feel her right eye twitch.

"Okay, sweeties… umm… I know that you guys are… ugh, Quinn wipe your nose, I know you guys are really emotional right now and… no, no, no Brittany… Britt… stop, stop crying, stop it, please."

Santana gives them a couple of seconds to compose themselves and then sighs,_ 'at least they aren't crying anymore.'_ Nope instead they were gazing at her all doe eyed and red nosed and sniffling. _'So sexy.'_ Santana thinks with surprisingly little sarcasm.

"I know you guys are upset, and that's okay. But you guys need to focus on all the good things happening right now okay? I mean the four of us are together, we're going to nationals for glee. Quinn, Quinn is finally out of the hospital, we have so many blessing right now that, you know, we don't need to be sad."

Both Quinn and Brittany's lips are quivering as Santana finishes speaking. Their faces contorted between wanting to start bawling again and smiling.

"Sanny is just so wonderful." Brittany squeaks.

"She is, she is, you are." Quinn agrees emphatically.

"Uh yeah… well…" Santana scratches the back of head in embarrassment. "Look you guys are pretty good yourselves… and besides it's just a stupid TV show." Santana knew as soon as the words were leaving her mouth that she shouldn't have said them.

The looks that Quinn and Brittany give her are so fierce that she actually takes a step back.

"What did you just say?" Brittany's voice is as cool and calm as ice. Santana knows she's on dangerous ground right now.

"I… um… I uh…" Santana stutters.

"You what San?" Quinn asks with her arms folded and her eyebrow is arched.

Santana lets out a sigh as she casts a glance over at Rachel who looks just a little too amused at her situation. Santana can feel her eye start to twitch again and all she can think is _'I hate Doctor Who.'_


	17. Sisters

** Sorry about the long wait for an update. One thing I can promise you is that until I mark this story as complete there will always be a future updates, I won't abandon this story or start a new project until this one is done. So while there may be a longer wait between some updates than others just know that they are coming, I just don't always know when. Please be patient with me :)**** Standard disclaimer I don't own Glee or any of its characters. The girls are 28 in this one and it takes place after the chapter ****Tease****.**

**Sisters**

Beth sat nervously in the back of the limo as she fidgeted with her small purse. Well technically it wasn't her purse, it was on loan. It was a light greenish blue color that perfectly matched the beautiful gown she was currently wearing, also on loan. She glances up at Rachel who is sitting across from her talking on her cell phone making some sort of last minute arrangements. She's not really paying attention to what about though, she's too nervous and her stomach is feeling a little queasy. Rachel is wearing a similar dress in both design and color to Beth's, the biggest difference being that Rachel's is strapless and hers has long shear sleeves. Another big difference, Rachel looks like a beautiful princess, and she, well she looks like a little girl.

She really loves her big sister, she does, but sitting next to her, seeing how beautiful she is, and how accomplished she is sometimes leaves Beth feeling a little inadequate. Rachel at only the age of 28 had pretty much gone out and done what she had set out to do. She was a world famous actress, singer, songwriter with more awards to her name than Beth could remember. In fact tonight they were on their way to an award ceremony right now. And not just any award ceremony, but the big one. That's right; she was going as Rachel's plus one to the academy awards, where her sister was once again nominated for best actress.

She was so proud of her sister; she worked hard at what she did. Beth had had the opportunity to be on a couple of movie sets her sister had worked on and had seen first-hand how hard her sister worked. Not only that, but she was always very kind and generous to everyone around her. She had been amazed the first time she had seen her sister on set. She greeted everyone by name, and she knew things about them and was always friendly. She talked with them about work, family, children, birthdays. Whatever seemed to be important in their lives she seemed to be in the know about it. That's a lot of people to be familiar with. Beth could barely remember the names of the kids in her math class. Her sister was amazing. And she always seemed to have time to spare for Beth as well. Not only Rachel but also Quinn and all of her mom's girlfriends did. She loved them a lot, but it could be a little overwhelming at times. Her mamma ran a successful acting and dance school for children. Her mom, Quinn, was a famous writer and director, Aunt Brittany was a music industry legend, and her Aunt Santana was their lawyer and agent. _"Damn good at it too."_ She liked to brag. And why shouldn't she, because she was good at it, very good at it. Even her daddy was making good money with his pool business and then doing weekend concerts with his band.

Unfortunately for Beth it was a lot to live up too. Not that they expected anything from her, other than her best effort and for her to follow her dreams but still, she didn't know how she could live with herself if she ever let them down. And that was the trick, because no matter what she did, how could it ever compare to what they've done. It was a lot to live up to. She could just picture it, here she was with all of these advantages that her family could afford her and she wastes it, doing absolutely nothing with her life that had any meaning. Heck Rachel had known she wanted to be an actress since she was born if her Grandpa Hiram were to be believed. She didn't even know what classes she wanted to take next year.

Beth jumps a little when she feels Rachel's hand on her shoulder. She had been so lost in her thoughts that she hadn't noticed Rachel had been trying to get her attention.

"Are you okay?" Rachel asks her

"Yeah, I'm fine, just thinking." She responds with a smile. "Nothing important, so when are we going to get there?"

"With this traffic, probably another twenty minutes. And are you sure you're okay?"

"Mhmm I'm fine."

"Okay, if you're sure… you do know you can talk to me about anything right? You're my little sister and if you ever need anything you can come to me."

Beth smiles pleasantly at her hoping that it will be enough. She would love to talk to Rachel about it but how could she? I mean what would she say, what could she say that didn't just sound like the whining of a child.

"So I heard that you just earned some sort of presidential academics award? Tell me about it."

Beth can feel the blood rush to her face. It was this standardized test thing that they had to do for school, and she had scored in the 99th percentile and had even gotten a letter congratulating her from the president. Yes it was a standard letter where he probably only gave the go ahead to send it out and yes his signature was stamped on and there were plenty of other people who probably had one, but she was kind of proud of it. I mean none of her friends got one, still it felt a little awkward to talk about her dinky little academics award with a woman who was probably going to win her third academy award tonight.

"It's no big deal, just some school thing. We took these tests and I scored really high, so they sent me this certificate from the president congratulating me. No big deal." She shrugs it off.

"Oh my God that is so cool! I never got anything like that, I'm so proud of you. We should totally go out and celebrate, see a movie, go out to eat, I know Disneyland! I am so taking you to Disneyland!"

Beth is pretty sure that her face will never be any color other than red ever again. "No don't worry about it, mamma already took me out to dinner for it and really like I said it's no big deal."

"Don't say that, my little sister's a genius, we should celebrate!"

"Stop! Okay, it's just some stupid little award and it's no big deal, a bet a thousand other people got one just like it! It's not important so _just_ drop it, please!" Beth turns away from Rachel feeling absolutely mortified that she just blew up at her like that, but it was frustrating. It was hard not to feel like an idiot about her little certificate when she was riding in a limo on her way to a big award ceremony where her sister was in the running for one of the most prestigious awards in the world.

She feels Rachel move and sit next to her and pull her into a hug. "Hey, what's going on? It's me; you can talk to me about anything. How come you aren't proud of your accomplishments? An academic award and a letter from the president? I think that is a pretty big deal, why don't you?"

Rachel's voice is so soft and compassionate that Beth can't help but respond to her, it's Rachel, her big sister Rachel, the one that she calls when she thinks her parents are being unfair or if she needs advice and is too embarrassed to talk to her mamma or mom about it. If she can't talk to Rachel then who can she?

"It's just, I mean, I've seen all of the awards that you get and mom and Brittany. And I mean mamma runs her own business and so does daddy and I've heard all of you say countless times that none of it would be possible without Santana, you guys are all so successful. You do these amazing things, and people everywhere love you for it, so I guess I just don't see how you, or anyone really, can be all that excited about something like, well, like a 7th grade academic award. It just seems kind of lame, when you compare it to everything that you guys have done."

"Oh sweetie that's not true at all. You need to be proud of what you have accomplished and you can't compare it to what other people have done. What's important is that you look at what _you_ have done and then work to improve yourself. That's the only real competition worth having; it's the one where you try to be better than you were yesterday. And as for your certificate, well I can tell you right now I don't have one that's signed by the president of the United States, and neither does Quinn, or Santana, or Brittany. I don't think Shelby does either, and I'm pretty confident in saying that Noah doesn't have one as well. That is all you and you should be so proud of it, it shows how smart you are. Your accomplishments are yours, don't ever let anyone tell you that they don't matter or aren't a big deal, because they are."

Beth hugs her sister tightly. "Thanks, but still it's no Oscar."

Rachel kisses Beth on the forehead. "First of all I haven't won anything yet, and I am up against many beautiful and talented women tonight. To even be nominated is an honor. Still let's assume that I do take it home, it's no Pulitzer. And that's no Nobel Peace prize, and that's no Congressional Medal of Honor, and that's no… well you see where I'm going with this. Don't think about it in terms of what it isn't, I can promise you that if you compare any of your accomplishments to what it isn't then you'll never stack up, because you can always think of something that may be considered more prestigious. Think of it in terms of what it is, and that's an acknowledgment of your hard work at school. Just like tonight is an acknowledgment of the hard work that people do on their different movies."

"Okay, your right, I guess." Beth says softly feeling a little bit better now.

"Of course I'm right, I'm Rachel." Her big sister says teasingly. "And can I let you in on a secret?"

"Yeah of course."

Rachel looks around shiftily as if looking for people who might overhear them and Beth follows her lead and then listens closely when Rachel leans in and whispers. "Don't tell anyone I said this, but I really don't think that the awards are that big a deal. I mean yes it's a fun night, and it's nice to be acknowledged but really, I do what I do because I love it. Because it's a part of my soul, not because they might give a little gold statue of a naked person." Here they both giggle.

"Do you want to know what my favorite award is? The one that I am most proud of, even over my Oscar and Tony?"

Beth nods her head eagerly.

"It's a glee club national's trophy that I won with your mom, Brittany, and Santana and the rest of our club in my senior year. That trophy means more to me than any other award I've ever received and I know that they feel the same way."

"Wow, really?" Beth is amazed that something like that means more to her sister than even her Tony award. "How come?"

"That trophy is a culmination of three years of hard work and non-stop trials and tribulations. For three years that little club of misfits banned together and despite having everyone against them, they finally came out on top, and they did it as a team, they did it together. That trophy, that's probably collecting dust somewhere in a storage closet, means and meant everything to me because of what it took to win it. Don't get me wrong, I am very proud of the other awards that I have won, I work hard at something I love and it's feels great to be acknowledged for it, but for me, in my mind that's the one the stands out, that little high school glee club trophy. So be proud of what you do, when I was your age I can tell you right now that younger me would have told older me to cut out my tongue for not saying that my Tony award is my greatest accomplishment, but as you get older and you experience more your priorities will change, things that once meant everything to you will no longer matter, and things that once didn't matter will become your most precious of things."

Beth nods her head solemnly, seriously taking in and considering everything that her big sister has just said. "Thanks Rach, I'm sorry about being such a downer on your big night, I guess, I just sometimes feel inadequate next to you. Like nothing I ever do will be good enough."

"I don't want you to ever feel like that, you're twelve years old, who knows what you'll accomplish when you get older? But I feel pretty confident in saying that you're going to shine like a star no matter what you do. Don't ever feel like you're not living up to my, or your mothers, or any of our expectations, the only thing we want from you is for you to be happy and for you to do your best no matter what it may be. And don't apologize for talking to me about any issues or concerns you may have, you mean more to me than this night or any other ever will. You're my little sister and I love you and that is what is important to me."

They hug each other for a few more seconds before pulling away, both of them feeling a little teary eyed.

"Um Rach, your make-up is a little smudged."

"Oh, ha woops, looks like yours is a little too, we have a few minutes before we get there. Let's fix each other up and then we'll take that red carpet by storm. What do you say?"

"That sounds great."

When they finally arrive, just before the doors to the limo opens, Beth is feeling a little nervous again and glances at Rachel for support. Rachel just grabs her hand and smiles.

"Just stay close to me okay, and have fun, I've got you sis."

A huge grin forms on her face and not for the first time is Beth grateful that she and Rachel are sisters.


	18. Grieve

** I don't own Glee or any of its characters. This is a depressing chapter if you can't guess from the title and if you wish to skip it please do so. The girls are 35 in this chapter.**

**Grieve**

Rachel just lets the water hit her as she stands in the shower. She lets the warm water and the steam and the sound consume her and wash away her sadness and her anger and her fear. She clears her mind of all thought and loses all focus except for the water that washes over her. She can't think right now and she doesn't want to. She can't let herself think. She can't let herself feel, otherwise there is no way she could survive. How could this have happened, what had she done wrong? She had followed every guideline, read every book that she could get her hands on and had made sure to eat only the healthiest of foods. She never missed a single doctor's appointment and she was very careful to not do any activity that was too strenuous on her or her baby. And still, still she had lost her. Their little girl, she had lost their little girl.

She had known that something was wrong the moment that labor had begun, she just knew. And she was right, and after a long and intensive labor the baby had finally come into this world only to draw a few breaths before…. The doctors had done everything that they could, but they were unable to bring back her little angel. A piece of her had died at that moment. A piece of all of them had died at that moment and there was no way to get it back. They had all been so excited. A baby! A little angel that they would bring into this world and love and cherish and raise. They had all been so excited. And now all that was there was a dark shadow that hung over their home. They had just come back from the funeral, and while there were guests to speak with and people to greet and condolences to accept she just couldn't find it in herself to care. This was her fault, she had carried the child and she had been the one to lose her and now because of something she had done Brittany, Quinn, and Santana had to suffer right along with her.

How could this have happened? What had she done wrong? She just couldn't figure it out. _'No! No, don't think, don't do anything, don't feel, and don't hurt.'_ Rachel thinks to herself, but it doesn't work she can't stop thinking about it. She can't stop going over in her mind the entire pregnancy and she can't figure out where she messed up at. She can't think of a single thing she had done that would have cost the life of her baby. But she must have done something, right? Eaten the wrong thing, done the wrong exercise, taken the wrong vitamin, but she can't come up with it. It eludes her, she had been borderline neurotic in making sure that they would have a healthy baby, but she must have missed something.

Angela, Angela Maria Berry. Their baby, her baby. She feels a sob shake her body, and then a moment passes before another one does so as well. Within a few seconds she can't control them and she begins to cry, the water from the shower hiding her tears as her face contorts in agony and she gives into the pain. She sinks to the bottom of the tub curled up in a ball and wishes for it to stop. For something, anything that can take away this agony. She had thought growing up that she understood pain. That the taunts and torments and rejection that she had endured had shown her how tough life could be. She couldn't have been more naïve; those things were a nuisance, an irritant, or an annoyance. Unpleasant at their very worst. This, _this_, gaping hole in her heart, _this_ was pain, _this_ was agony, _this_ was the worst that life had to offer.

She clutches her hands tightly to her chest, trying desperately to find something to be happy about, something to feel joy about, but it eludes her. There is no joy, no happiness, not anymore. She feels dizzy as she lay their crying. The water no longer warm, but the cold doesn't bother her. Why should it, cold is how she's felt since that moment. She just clenches her eyes, closing them as tightly as she can and loses herself in her despair.

She isn't sure how long she's been lying their when she feels the water stop, but she doesn't care she just continues to lay there. She hears the curtain get pulled back and then a warm hand cup her face. A voice says something softly to her but she can't make it out and in honesty she doesn't want to. She doesn't want to be comforted because nothing can, and she doesn't deserve it. She lost their baby, this was her fault and she deserved this agony. She feels a gentle hand guide her to stand and she allows herself to be led up and out of the tub. She's pulled into a hug and she returns it clinging fiercely to one of her girls as she sobs into their chest.

Eventually she winds up on her bed; she's still wrapped in the embrace of one of her girls. The girl in front of her is holding her close, and alternating between gently kissing her forehead and whispering "I love you, I love you so much, I love you," repeatedly. But still none of this is able to quell her tears. Rachel clings to the warm body in front of her and curls further in on herself and cries even harder. Her failure to safely bring that little angel into this world has not only devastated her but also the three most important people in her life. She feels as if the world is crumbling down all around her and that it's all she can do to breath. She desperately grasps at the body in front of her, clinging tightly for all that she is worth, terrified that if she lets go that she'll lose another loved one as well. She can feel herself being pulled in tighter and as she continues to cry all she can manage to get out is "Why?"


	19. It's A Start

**This chapter takes place the first week of summer vacation after the disastrous New York nationals and before the chapter ****Three Becomes Four****. As usual I don't own Glee or any of its characters. I'm just playing around with its universe.**

**It's A Start**

As Rachel walked into the house with the blaring music she had to shake her head. "The first big party of the summer." Rachel whispered to no one. She never understood why people liked to come to these parties. They were always so loud and crowded. The music and the shouting over the music always ran together as a single blaring white noise to her. Add into that all of the drinking and people throwing up in the corner and rowdy behavior… well it was not Rachel's idea of a good time. But Finn was here and because Rachel wanted to be a good girlfriend she would be here too. She just wished that he had told her that this is what he wanted to do tonight. She wouldn't have even known about the party if Kurt hadn't asked her if she was going with Finn tonight.

They had only been back together for a little while now. He had kissed her at Nationals in New York during their performance and while she wished he would have picked a better time, she couldn't deny that it took a lot of courage to do that. So she had agreed to get back together with him. Things had been…okay since they had gotten back together, not great, but Rachel just attributed that to trying to relearn each other's rhythms again. And those last couple weeks of school he had been a very attentive boyfriend. He would sometimes walk her to class, and he would occasionally hold her hand when they walked down the hall. He even stood up for her to some of their class mates who had been rude to her. However ever since school had been let out he had started to distance himself and Rachel had decided to give him some space, after all she knew that he felt she could be too clingy at times and Rachel really wanted to do her part to make this work. However it was Friday and they were supposed to go out tonight, so here she was.

As Rachel pushed through the crowd she could see some of her fellow glee club members there. Kurt and Mercedes were off in a corner texting and talking, Mike and Tina were slow dancing together despite the wholly inappropriate music playing. It was very cute to see. _'I wonder if I can get Finn to dance with me.'_ Rachel eventually made her way through the crowd and headed towards what seemed to be the kitchen. She was about to go inside when she felt a big hand land on her shoulder and roughly spin her around. It was one of the football goons, she couldn't quite recall who, after all of the bullying she endured at their hands they all seemed the same to her.

"What the hell do you think you're doing here? This is a no dwarf zone." He speaks with a slur as he steps right up into her personal space and grabs her arm. The smell of alcohol is on his breath.

"I'm… I'm sorry, um… I'm, I'm looking for Finn. Have… have you seen him?" Rachel hated the nervousness in her voice. She always tried to seem confident and self-assured even when she wasn't feeling as such, but he was drunk and looking at her like something nasty he may have stepped in. Then take into account the fact that he was easily twice her size and that none of the football players were ever particularly nice even when sober and Rachel was really beginning to regret coming here tonight. She was really unsure about what to do at this point and her eyes glanced around fervently hoping to catch sight of Finn or anyone really who could help her out and would be willing to do so. Unfortunately she didn't see him and she had lost sight of the other glee club members, it seemed she would be on her own in getting out of this situation."

"HEY LOSER! What the hell do you think you're doing!?"

The football player is startled and he releases his hold on Rachel and takes a step back. Rachel looks to her right and there standing with her arms crossed and wearing a scowl that would send even the bravest of men screaming into the night was Santana, next to her is Brittany who doesn't look any happier. Rachel had never been more relieved to see anyone in her entire life.

"Uh, what?" The boy seems surprised that someone would actually yell at him.

"I asked you, and please try to keep up you moron, what the hell you think you're doing?"

"I uh… I uh, I was, I mean…" The boy stammers.

"Oh, you, uh, you what, you mean." Santana mocks the boy. "Spit it out, what the hell are you doing with Berry?"

"Are you okay Rachel?" Brittany asks her gently while all of this is going on and all Rachel can do is nod her head. This was just too surreal. Santana and Brittany are standing up for her.

"I… she's here and she's… I was just… I mean, come on she's just a loser." He finally manages to get out.

"Oh, just a loser." Santana nods her head and scrunches up her face as if she's considering what he's saying. "So because she's "just a loser" you thought it was okay to come up and manhandle her? Wow you're a bigger moron than I thought."

"Hey you can't, you can't talk to me like that." He growls. "Who do you think you are!?"

Santana arches an eyebrow at him. If he's stupid enough to talk to her like that then it's time for Aunty Snix to pay a visit. "Who me? I'm the biggest bitch in this state, so I'm gonna talks to ya howeva the hell I wants. Now move on before I go Lima Heights on your lame ass. Well go on, try me, I'm from Lima Heights Adjacent we don't play there." She snarls at him.

"It's true." Brittany adds her voice colder than Rachel has ever heard it before. "She keeps razor blades in her hair."

The football player casts a quick nervous glance towards Brittany before his eyes move fearfully back to Santana where the two of them stare each other down for a few seconds before the football player finally blinks and turns his head in frustration and not a little fear.

"Ugh, whatever, "the larger boy sighs in disgust, "FINN GET YOUR ASS OVER HERE AND HANDLE THIS!"

"Yeah that's right walk away bitch." Santana calls after him as he stumbles off. Rachel can finally see Finn through the crowd making his way over so she turns to Santana and Brittany.

"Thank you for your assistance… I really appreciate it." She smiles at them.

Brittany smiles warmly back at her. "Don't worry about it, that guys a jerk and we were happy to help. Right San?"

Santana just scoffs. "Look don't make a thing of it. That guy has been pissing me off all night and I was just waiting for an excuse to mess with him."

"Don't listen to her Rach, she was worried about you and wanted to help. She just doesn't like it when people see her be nice." Brittany informs the diva.

"Brittany!" Santana whines.

"What? It's true you said we had to go help her out, I don't know why you pretend you don't like Rachel, I know you think she's pretty cool." Brittany states matter of factly. Rachel is both surprised and pleased by what she has just heard.

"Thank you Santana." Rachel beams at the blushing Latina.

"Whatever don't make a big deal of it. We're in glee together so I figure we should look out for each other… or you know... whatever." Santana trails off awkwardly as Finn finally reaches them.

"Do you need us to stay?" Brittany asks her.

"No I'll be fine now. Thank you." Rachel responds. Brittany just nods her head; she looks a little unsure but doesn't say anything else.

"Whatever, we're out of here. Have fun with Man-Boobs McGee." Santana calls out sounding annoyed and with a careless wave of her hand turns around and leaves, Brittany following her.

When Rachel turns to great Finn with a kiss she is a little surprised to see him pull away. "Hey I was looking for you. How come you didn't tell me you wanted to go to this party tonight?"

Finn lets out a sigh and rubs his eyes in frustration. "Look Rachel you can't just show up to a party like this, it's not cool."

Rachel tilts her head in confusion. "Why not? I'm your girlfriend right? Plus I want to spend time with you, it's Friday we were supposed to go out."

"You just can't and that another thing, you have got to give me some space Rach, you're too clingy, I feel like I can't breathe half the time."

Rachel can feel the tears form in her eyes but she struggles to hold them back, she tries to speak but her throat feels a little choked up so she just looks down at the ground unsure of what to do or say next. She thought that she had been doing just that, she knew she could be clingy at times so she wanted to give him some space but they hadn't seen each other in a couple of days so she had thought that he would be happy to see her. "I'm sorry Finn… I just wanted to spend some time with you." She says quietly unsure if her voice carried through the noise.

Finn grunts in frustration before speaking. "Let's head outside where it's quieter, we need to talk."

Rachel nods her head and quietly follows him outside an aura of defeat hanging over her, she knows exactly how this conversation is going to go, she knows she going to get her heart broken again, and she knows that this will just be one more instance of her being left behind in a long list of such occurrences. But still she can't quite stop herself from hoping that this time will be different that this time someone will surprise her. A fool's hope she knows but still it's there.

**xxx-Scene Break-xxx**

Santana and Brittany had been watching Rachel and Finn from across the room. Santana had suggested that they stick around and watch them. "It'll probably be good for a laugh," had been her reasoning. Brittany had just rolled her eyes at that but she took her girlfriends hand anyway and agreed. Brittany knew that in Santana speak that meant she was worried about Rachel and wanted to make sure that she was going to be okay. The blonde knew that it was important to her girlfriend to maintain her tough image so she didn't call her on it.

Santana, like Brittany, had actually come to really respect Rachel over the last two years. They both admired her drive and even now Brittany had no problem stating that Rachel was her friend and if pressed even Santana would grudgingly admit, in private anyway, that she was fond of the girl. Santana still had some trouble with the "emotional crap" but once you got to know her as well as Brittany did you found out real quick that Santana was actually quite the softy.

"Well that doesn't look good." Brittany mutters when she sees Rachel look down sadly.

"C'mon lets follow them." Santana says a moment later when Finn and Rachel begin to leave. Brittany nods her agreement and they quietly follow the couple outside. The two of them are talking too quietly for Santana or Brittany to hear but from the looks of resignation and annoyance on Finn's face and the look of heartbreak on Rachel's it seemed that Finchel was breaking up yet again.

"Really? Really!?" Brittany whispers to Santana harshly as Finn begins to walk away and Rachel covers her face with her hands and begins to cry.

"I know right, especially after that damn kiss that cost us nationals." Santana agrees. Brittany just gives her a withering glare that causes Santana to take a step back. She holds her hands up in surrender. "Just kidding, just kidding." She hastily adds. Brittany shakes her head and rolls her eyes before making her way over to the crying girl. Santana is quick to follow.

**xxx-Scene Break-xxx**

Rachel can't believe it's over again. He had told her that getting back together was a mistake and that they just weren't right for each other. They had nothing in common and that he found her hard to deal with. He apologized for hurting her and he hoped that they could still be friends but he just can't see himself with her anymore. He was young, he was in high school, and he wanted to have fun. Not be tied down in a relationship, he wanted to enjoy his last summer vacation free from any ties or obligations. And so here she was yet again, alone and heart broken. What was it about her that made people hate her so much, made them leave her? Yes she knew that she could be a little… intense at times, and yes she is aware that her hobbies and interests weren't exactly in line with what most of the other kids were into, but were those things really so bad that no one could stand to be around her for more than a short period of time?

"Why… why does this keep happening? What did I do wrong this time?" Rachel whispers through the tears. She is so lost in thought that she nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt a hand rest on her shoulder.

"AIEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

Rachel quickly turns around, her heart racing a mile a minute, and comes face to face with Brittany. The blonde girl has an apologetic smile on her face. "Sorry about that Rach." Brittany says sheepishly.

"Oh, don't worry about it, I over reacted. I just didn't notice you there. So what can I do for you Brittany?"

"I just came over to see if you were okay."

"Oh! I am perfectly fine, thank you. Why do you ask?"

Instead of answering Brittany slowly reaches up and gently wipes away the tears that had still been falling despite the small girl's best efforts to hold them back and smile through it.

"Oh this! Oh don't worry about it I'm fine, just some allergies, nothing to be concerned about… Really I'm fine…I'm…fine." Rachel had hoped that she could be convincing, that maybe if she could make Brittany think that she was okay then she really would be. But the look of compassion and sympathy on the taller girls face was too much to bear and before she knew what she was doing she had flung herself into the other girl's arms and begun to cry. She was both shocked and relieved when the other girl didn't push her away but instead pulled her in closer and returned the hug. Rachel wasn't sure how she would have or could have handled another rejection tonight. She was tired. Tired of being strong, tired of always pretending to be okay, and tired of being alone. It was nice to finally have someone be there for her.

When she felt another hand rest on her shoulder and squeeze it in a comforting manner she turned around and was surprised to see Santana there with a sympathetic look on her face. Rachel quickly pulls away from Brittany hoping to avoid a confrontation with the Latina. It was kind of an open secret that the two of them were together and she didn't want to cause any problems.

"Sorry, I… I don't know what came over me." She says looking at Santana before facing Brittany. "And I apologize for invading your personal space like that. I hope that you can forgive me."

"You don't have to apologize for that Rach, sometimes you just need a hug, plus you're like super good at it." Brittany says with a smile.

"Yeah Berry don't worry about it."

There's an awkward silence at this point none of them are sure how to proceed. Brittany doesn't want to leave Rachel alone right now, she can remember how she felt when her and Santana were going through their rough time and being alone sucked, but she can also understand the need for space and isn't sure if that's what Rachel wants and needs at this point. Rachel still feels awkward about flinging herself into Brittany's arms. She also isn't sure what the two cheerios want. While things had improved between them over that last two years, in fact she considered them along with rest of the glee club her friends; she wasn't sure if they were close enough for her to talk to about what just happened. Rachel knew that she played it a little fast and loose with the word 'friends'. Most people would consider the relationships she had with the members of the club as acquaintances. But it was too depressing of a thought, especially right now, to think that she didn't really have any real friends. As for Santana, she wanted to help but she wasn't quite sure how to proceed. She hates, hates, HATES emotional crap like this. Plus awkward silences were so lame, so she decided to proceed in the easiest and most blunt manner possible.

"So… um… did Frankenteen dump you or something?"

"Santana!" Brittany yells at her girlfriend, pulling Rachel back into a hug as the brunette breaks down again. And even she had to wince at how that came out. While discretion had never been one of her strong points even she had to admit that the wording was pretty tactless on her part. She just wanted to know the specifics a little better. If she had the details then she could fix it, make things better, but yeah that had come out bad.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean… I mean I did, but I didn't… I… I mean… I'm sorry." Santana finishes lamely her head hung in defeat. She never knows what to say in a situation like this.

Rachel can't help the giggle that escapes her lips, this has to be the first time she's ever seen Santana at a loss for words and the fact that it happened because she was trying to be nice to her made it sweet. "It's… it's fine. Don't worry about it, but to answer your question," Rachel takes in a deep breath to compose herself before answering "yes he did break up with me."

"Oh…"

"Are you going to be okay Rach?" Brittany asks.

Rachel looks up and realizes that she is still in the arms of the blonde cheerio and takes a step back before responding. "Yes I'll be fine, don't worry about me…" Rachel bites her lip anxiously before forcing a big smile on her face. "I'll be perfectly fine, thank you so much for your concern but really it's not necessary. I'm a big girl and it's not the end of the world, I've survived being dumped before and I can do it again. Thank you, both of you for coming to my aid, I believe that I'll head home now and go to bed. I hope to see you both around this summer and if not then I look forward to seeing you both at glee when school starts. Good evening to you both." And with that Rachel turns away and begins the walk home.

Brittany and Santana both feel devastated by the big fake smile and the clearly forced positive attitude the girl had projected. Her easy dismissal of her feelings and her excusing herself to make them more comfortable when she was the one in pain spoke volumes about the character of Rachel Berry as well as just how used to being dismissed the girl was. Santana looks over at Brittany who watches on helplessly, unsure of what to do as the other girl walks away. She didn't like it, the sadness on Brittany's face, the painfully fake happiness that Berry was exuding, or the knot of guilt in her stomach as she watched Rachel walk away. And so once more Santana did what she did best, she acted.

"Hey Berry." Santana called out as she quickly jogged up to the girl, Brittany following closely beside her curious about what her girlfriend was going to do.

"Yes Santana?" Rachel enquires politely.

"Look, Britts and I are heading back to my place for a sleep over… why don't you come with us?"

Brittany's face lit up with excitement. She was so proud of Santana for suggesting it and wondered why she hadn't thought of it herself. "Oh yes! Please Rachel it'll be totally fun!" She says excitedly.

"I… I…" Rachel hesitates. "Thank you for your kind offer, but no, I wouldn't want to intrude on any plans that you may have, but it was again very kind of you to offer Santana."

"Please Rachel?" Santana asks sincerely.

Rachel gasps and then a genuine smile crosses her face, she's beaming at Santana, in fact both Rachel and Brittany are… it's a little creepy. "What?... What!? Why are you both looking at me like that?"

"I believe that's the first time you've said my name. Not a nickname or my surname but my actual given name." She says quietly.

Santana's eyes widen in shock and for a moment she feels incredibly guilty that doing something as simple as saying her name would cause this kind of reaction but she pushes those feelings aside and forces herself to be real for a moment.

"Yes _Rachel_, I said your name so that should tell you how serious I am about you coming and hanging out with us tonight. So again, Rachel, will you please come spend the night with me and Brittany?"

"Yes please Rachel, Santana and I both really want you there." Brittany adds in, super proud of Santana for showing her softer side to the other girl.

"Okay." Rachel manages to choke out. She feels like she could fly at this obvious olive branch that the Latina is extending. She clears her throat and tries to speak again. "Okay, if you insist then I would love to."

"Great then it's settled then, let's get the hell out of here, this party was lame anyway." Santana snarks.

"I know, it kind of really sucked… Ooh ooh ooh San, when we get to your place can we watch a scary movie!?" Brittany asks excitedly.

"I'm up for it, how about you Berry?" Santana asks sending the other girl a wink to let her know that things are still cool between them and that the use of Berry isn't a setback.

Rachel's answering grin is enough to let her know that she got the message. "While I am not normally one for such forms of entertainment, I do believe that the viewing of horror cinema is a classic scenario in the traditional slumber party itinerary."

Both Brittany and Santana give her a deadpan look before Brittany asks, "So… is that a yes."

"Yes."

Santana just rolls her eyes smiling before she links arms with the diva. "So why didn't you just say so?"

Brittany saddles up on Rachel's other side and links her arms with the girls as well, "Alright let's go! This is going to be so much fun I'm so excited! So we'll watch the scary movie first and then we'll-"

Both brunettes are happy to let Brittany decide what they'll do tonight, Santana because she just likes seeing Brittany happy and Rachel because she's not quite sure what popular kids do at sleep overs, but the things that Brittany is suggesting sound fun anyway. She's had a couple of sleep overs before but something about this was different, seemed different, like this night was going to be a turning point in her life… Or maybe she was just being overly dramatic, still no matter what they decided to do it had to be better than going home and crying her eyes out over Finn. And that was another strange thing, while being dumped like that still hurt, she didn't feel nearly as bad as she had just a little while ago. She was sure that she would be crying about it later but the pain of losing Finn seemed to be completely overwhelmed by the joy of possibly gaining two friends. Of course this might just be an act of pity on their part and things might go back to the way they were before all of this happened, but somehow Rachel didn't think so.

**A.N. So this is the first chapter that will show how Rachel joined Santana and Brittany. There will be at the very least one more chapter that covers it, possibly two. I haven't quite decided yet and as usual I'm not sure when it or they will make an appearance. Also next chapter I will post an updated version of the chronological order of the chapters. I think the last one was posted on chapter nine so it's about time for an update lol. **

**On final more serious note I would like to express my sincerest condolences to the family and friends of Cory Monteith. I'm not sure what to say other than he touched a lot of lives and that he will be missed. Rest in peace.**


	20. Judy

** Standard disclaimer, I don't own Glee or any of its characters. This chapter takes place between ****Wait What**** and ****Dance With Me?**

**Judy's POV**

"Brittany you need to go home, I have to talk to Quinn alone right now." Judy says in a forced calm and slightly monotone voice. Her mind, however, was anything but calm right now. She just couldn't wrap her mind around what she had just seen, her daughter had been straddling the other girl and they had been making out, and Judy wasn't sure how to respond to this.

She had never really given any thought to the subject of homosexuality. She knew how Russell felt about it but she herself had never really had an opinion on the subject. It was always something far off that really had nothing to do with her. Yes, she had been raised in an environment where she was taught that it was a sin, that it was an abomination before God. But really, as far as "sins" went, it was never something that had ranked all that high up there with her.

She wasn't and never had been one of those people who thought that gay people were going to go to hell. She didn't feel the need to protest their rights or condemn them or anything really. And she had always been of the opinion that whatever two consenting adults wished to do in the privacy of their own home was between them, but beyond that she just hadn't cared. She had never really had a stance on the subject, heck she wasn't even sure if she knew any gay people.

Now though she wasn't sure how she felt about it. It's easy to have an opinion on something that is separate from your life, it's easy to say, "oh yes I don't care, or I support it, or I hate it," if you've never run into it before, but now that she had, and in such a personal way she wasn't sure how she felt. Homosexuality had never affected her before and now here she was standing in her daughter's room where she had just caught her kissing another girl and to her surprise, other than shock, she wasn't sure how she felt. Did she accept it, did she condemn it? For the first time she was in a position where she had to have an opinion on the subject and for the life of her she couldn't figure out where she stood.

"Ms. Fabray please let me explain-" Brittany tries to intervene as Quinn is still just sitting there on her bed, her face drained of any color and her eyes wide in terror.

"Brittany, you need to go, now." Judy says more firmly this time. She stares at the girl and watches as she looks to Quinn for direction. Her daughter just nods her head, but it seems to be more of an automatic reaction than a conscious decision to do so. Judy waits until she hears the front door close before she turns to her daughter and takes a few shaky breaths before she begins to speak.

"Quinn, what's…? I mean how, when… what's going on?" This is not how Judy wants this conversation to go, she wishes she could form an actual articulate sentence but her mind just doesn't seem to want to process anything right now.

**Quinn's POV**

She feels like throwing up, this is not how she wanted her mom to find out. In fact she wasn't even sure if she ever wanted her to ever find out. Since coming back home things had been strained between them and while it had been slowly improving over time she was under no illusion that things were so okay that her mom would be okay with this. The last time she had felt this level of fear was when she had found out that she was pregnant and was worried about her father finding out.

Why did she tell Brittany to go? What the hell was she thinking, she can't do this alone? She wants Brittany back here with her, or Rachel, or Santana. Any one of them, preferably all of them. She needs her girls here to help her, she can't do this alone. She can't face this without them.

Her father may be gone, but Quinn knew how the Fabray family still worked and she knew she needed to think fast if she was going to avoid becoming homeless again. She needed an excuse. Something, anything that could explain away what she had been doing with the other girl, however the only thing she could think to do was tell the truth and so to her own shock and horror that was exactly what she did.

"I'm gay, I'm dating Brittany, and I'm dating Rachel and Santana, we're all dating each other, we're together, as in together, together… all of us."

Quinn can feel herself begin to tremble with fear. How could she have just done that, blurt out her biggest secret? Her girl's biggest secret. Oh God! What had she done!? She could have said anything else and it would have been an improvement over just blurting out the truth like that. How could she have been so stupid? But that was all she could think to say, her mind didn't have any explanation or excuse to give and so it went ahead, without her permission, and outed her and her girlfriends to probably the worst person she could have done it to.

**Judy's POV**

Judy takes a step back at that admission. She wasn't sure what she had been expecting her daughter to say, but she knew that, _that_ wasn't it. What did that even mean? "They were all together." How would that even work? How did this even happen? Her daughter was gay, and she had absolutely no idea what that entailed. Is that what gay people did? Did they form collective groups to be gay together with? Was her daughter just different in that regard; was she some kind of sexual deviant? She had absolutely no idea what to do with the information she had just been given or what it meant. She had lost her daughter once, and it seemed that finally, _finally_, she was starting to get her daughter back, but now she felt like she was losing her all over again.

How could she support this, how could she support her daughter being in a relationship like that? She wasn't even sure where she stood on her daughter being gay, how was she supposed to react to finding out that her daughter was dating multiple people. It flew in the face of everything she had ever been raised to believe and that she had raised her daughter to believe. She opened her mouth to speak, unsure of what to say, her mind going a thousand miles a minute. The only thing she was certain of was the fact that whatever she was about to say was going to be the wrong thing and she was going to destroy any chance of a relationship with her daughter. But she had to say something, she couldn't just stand there and she couldn't just say nothing.

"How much time do I have to pack?" Quinn asks in a meek and exhausted voice. Her head is down and she's staring at the floor, her hands are clenched and shaking in her lap, full of tension.

The question shocks Judy out of her thoughts and causes her to focus on her daughter. And almost as reflex she can't help but ask "What?"

"How much time do I have to pack?" Quinn looks up from the ground and she stares at Judy straight in the eyes, her voice is calm and confident with just a bit of anger in it.

"What are you talking about?" Judy is really confused right now, why would Quinn have to pack?

"That's what happens in this family isn't it? I screw up or do something that you don't approve of and you kick me out right, I'm only your daughter as long as I'm perfect right? Well guess what I'm not perfect, at least not by yours and daddy's ridiculous standards!" Quinn's entire body is now shaking with emotion and as she talks her voice is elevating while tears begin to form in her eyes.

"But you know what, I don't care anymore, I'll never be good enough for you or him or anyone else in this family, but do you know who I am good enough for, do you know who thinks I am perfect despite my billions of flaws, who loves me unconditionally!?"

Quinn leaps to her feet as she is saying this, fully crying right now with big angry tears running down her face, yet despite this, the look in her eyes is as fierce as Judy has ever seen it.

"Them, they do, those three girls! For the first time in my life I finally know what it's like to have people who love me no matter what! Who don't care when I mess up and who actually stand by me, for the first time I have somewhere I belong to and it's with them and I am never ever going to give that up, they love me and I love them, they saved my life! Do you get that, do you understand that!? They saved my life; they give me something to live for!"

"I have never had that before; I have never had this kind of unconditional love before! But they give it to me, they love me, I can trust them with everything! When I need them they are there, one hundred and ten percent, no matter what! Do you have any idea how freeing that is, how wonderful that is for me!? To finally be good enough for someone, to not have to put up a front, to not have to wonder where I stand with them!?"

"I know and they know that I will never be good enough for them, and they don't care, they want me anyway! They know just how big of a fuck up I am, and it doesn't matter they love me just the way I am, my just trying is enough for them! I finally, for the first time in my life have people who won't abandon me at the first sign of trouble!? For the first time in my life I finally have people who want what's best for me and don't wonder what it is that I can do for them!"

Judy is stunned into silence, all this anger and pain in her daughter is overwhelming and heartbreaking. "So you can go ahead and make your ultimatums, tell me that I either leave them or I can get out! Tell me that you hate me, that you're disgusted by me, that you are disappointed in me! Hell, go ahead and tell me that you wish I had never been born! I don't care, I am not leaving them, and when given the choice between them and anything else I am going to choose them every time!"

Quinn takes a moment to calm down and when she finally speaks again, it's with a calm voice. "So you go ahead and do whatever it is you think you have to do, but it won't matter I'm not leaving them, I'm gay… No it's not even that, it's them, I love them and when you kick me out, like I know you're going to, it'll be okay, because I have them, I have a home."

**Quinn's POV**

Despite the situation Quinn has never felt this light before in her life; she had finally gotten off her chest everything that she had been feeling since coming home. There were no more secrets between her and her mother and it was freeing. Yeah it would suck to be homeless again, but ultimately she would prefer that to continuing to live in fear in her own home. And besides one of her girls would take her in, and if they couldn't, if their parents wouldn't let them, then she would just live out of her car or on the street or hell even sneak into the school and sleep there. She was dead serious when she said that she would choose her three girls every time, and as far as she was concerned the consequences could go to hell.

She was so sure about what was going to happen next that it was almost like being hit over the head with a baseball bat when she heard her mom speak again.

"This is your home Quinn, and when I brought you back I swore to myself that you would always have a home here no matter what. I'm in shock, the news you just told me is huge, and I'm still trying to process it, but I can promise you this, you will always have a home with me. I failed you, I know that. I failed you in an unforgivable way, but I am going to spend the rest of my life trying to earn your forgiveness anyway. If I haven't made it clear, that this family no longer walks away from each other, then I am sorry, I am so, so, sorry."

Judy moves to sit on the bed and motions for Quinn to sit next to her which after a few seconds she does so hesitantly. Judy gives her a smile and then gently takes her hands in her own before speaking. "Now you have just told me something big and extremely personal, and I am not going to lie to you and say that I am okay with it."

Quinn's eyes hardened at that but before she could speak her mother continues on. "I tell you this in full disclosure; I don't know how I feel about what you have just told me. I'm torn between two thoughts here. On the one hand this thing that you have goes against everything I was brought up to believe in, okay? On the other hand, I have noticed the difference in you this past while. You have smiled and laughed and have just been happier in general than I can ever remember you being. And all I have ever wanted for you was for you to be safe, healthy, and happy. And so if this relationship is doing all of these great things for you, then how can I not support that? Can you see how this might be confusing for me, sweetie?"

"I have been so weak in the past Quinnie, I know I failed you. I should have been there for you when you needed me most and I wasn't. And I am so sorry for that. It kills me inside that you don't feel the kind of connection and safety here with me, that you say you do with those girls. But at the same time I am just so happy that you do feel it. That you feel like you do have that safety net against the world, but sweetheart, despite my flaws and despite how you may feel about me, I am and will always be your mother and I will always want what is best for you, and I hope that you are starting to see that."

Quinn can feel herself start to choke up and so she nods her head at what her mother is saying instead. The fact that she isn't out on the street already is more than she ever expected from her mom.

"So Quinn, I want you to be happy, I need you to be happy, but before that I need to know that you are safe. You say that this relationship you have makes you happy, but a lot of things that aren't good for you can make you feel happy-"

"They aren't bad for me!" Quinn growls out, offended and angered that her mother would say that about her girls.

"And I'm not saying that they are." Judy responds soothingly.

"This is all coming out wrong; I know what I want to say I just don't quite know how to say it." She lets out a sigh before speaking again.

"Okay, you say that these three girls love you, that they are the best thing that has ever happened to you. They love you and support you unconditionally, that you feel safe and free with them? That is what you are saying correct?"

Quinn nods her head in confusion, not sure where her mother is going with this.

"Then let me see it. Show that side of your relationship to me, let me see that they are taking care of you and loving you the way that you deserve. Bring them around and let me get to know them as what they are, your girlfriends, and not as just your friends. I know I'm asking a lot, but I need to know that this is safe and healthy for you, that it isn't something that you need help from. I'm asking you to help me see this as you see it. I can't promise you that I'll accept it, I can't promise that, but I can promise you that I will keep an open mind about it and that I'm willing to work to be a part of your life."

Quinn is crying again, this is so much more than she expected from her mother. She was so certain that once her mom found out that that would be it; she would want nothing to do with her anymore. She had been prepared for that, what she wasn't prepared for was her mother to be willing to try and see things from her point of view. Willing to give this life that she had chosen a chance. Was it the one hundred percent acceptance that she had only allowed herself to dream of in the most remote corners of her mind, no of course it wasn't. But it was a start, she was willing to give it a chance, she was willing to let Quinn show her just how wonderful her girls were to her, and there was no doubt in her mind that her mom would come to not only accept this, but also come to love her girls as much as she did.

Still there was one point that she was stuck on before she could fully let herself believe what her mom was saying. "What… what if you… you can't accept it?" Her voice is soft and quivers as she asks this vital question.

Judy purses her lips as she seriously considers the question before answering. "If, if I can't deal with it then I guess we'll cross that bridge if we come to it. I promise you though, that no matter what happens, I promise you that I will always love you, that you will always have a home here with me and that we will talk about it like mature adults. I will never put you in a position where you feel like you can't come home. But if it's as wonderful as you say it is, then it shouldn't be a problem right?" Judy finishes with a smile, her eyes full of love and acceptance.

"Right." Quinn manages to get out before breaking down and flinging herself into her mother's arms sobbing. She starts crying even harder when she feels her mother's arms wrap around her and begins to whisper to her in a comforting manner.

**Judy's POV**

As Judy held her crying daughter she felt a bit of weight leave her mind. She still wasn't sure how she felt about her daughter being in a relationship like this, but she had been telling the truth when she said that she would keep an open mind. She only wanted what was best for her daughter and if this was it then she would support it, and if it wasn't then she would cross that bridge when she came to it. But one thing was for certain, she would never let her daughter out of her life again.

She would always, always, be there for Quinn. She would not fail her again. "I love you Quinn, I love you so much." She whispers softly to her.

Quinn nods her head as she continues to cry, and Judy stays there holding her baby girl until she calms down, gently rocking her back and forth as her little girl releases all of her pent up emotions. And when Quinn stops crying and pulls away she leans in and presses a kiss to her forehead.

"Are you hungry sweetie, I can order us some Chinese, and we can watch a movie?" Judy asks hopefully.

"Actually I was going to go see a movie with Brittany, Rachel, and Santana, and then we were going to hit Bread Stix. Speaking of them I should probably give them a call- Oh! I know why don't you come with us? I mean you said you wanted to get to know them better so this could be a good place to start!" Quinn says hopefully.

Judy can't help but let the thought of how weird it is for her teenage daughter to want her to come hang out with her and her friends, but it's a good kind of weird and she's finds that she is actually a little excited about the prospect. And Quinn is right this is a good place to start getting to know these girls better.

"Please mom."

"You're right. I think that's a good place to start."

"Great, let me just give them a call and-" Quinn is interrupted by the sound of screeching tires sliding along the asphalt and the sound of car doors opening and slamming shut. Both Fabray women move to the window and look out and see that Rachel and Santana have both arrived and are currently talking to a crying Brittany who had waited out front and must have called them.

"I better go talk to them." Quinn says with obvious affection in her voice. She had never heard her daughter talk about anyone in that way before. And as she continues to look out the window and she sees her daughter step out to greet the other three girls she is pleasantly surprised by what she sees.

Brittany has rushed up and pulled Quinn into a huge embrace and seems to be babbling, and as Quinn hugs her back and seems to be reassuring the girl, both Rachel and Santana are right there next to them, they both look so concerned and protective of Quinn as they talk to her, looking her over almost like they are checking her for injuries, that Judy can't help but smile. Just watching them she can begin to see just how much these three girls care for her Quinn and as she heads down to greet them she thinks to herself that maybe accepting this relationship of Quinn's won't be as difficult as she thought.

**A.N. So this was a hard chapter to write. I didn't want Judy to start right off the bat being accepting of the four girls together, but I did want to portray her as someone who could and would eventually support them. It was an interesting line to walk and I'm not sure how well I did it. **

**Judy's feelings about the relationship evolves over time, from her uncertainty in this chapter to her complete support that you see in the chapter ****As We Wait Together****. Judy's feelings about the situation evolve and she comes to love all four girls, not just because they are with Quinn, but also for who they are individually and as Quinn repairs her relationship with Judy, the other three girls forge their own with her. And I hope that I did a somewhat good job at showing that.**

**As for Quinn just blurting out the truth to Judy, I really have no idea how else she could have come out to her about it, I ran a couple of different scenarios and this was the one that felt right for this story. **

**And as promised here is the updated chronological order of the chapters.**

**Ducklings**

**It's A Start**

**Three Becomes Four**

**Wait What?**

**Judy**

**Dance With Me**

**Out**

**Blink**

**Can't Breathe**

**As We Wait Together**

**Okay**

**Rock, Paper, Scissor Death Match**

**Audition**

**Actions Speak Louder Than Words**

**As A Family**

**Funeral**

**Q&A or is that B**

**Tease**

**Sisters**

**Grieve**

**So that was kind of a pain to work out and I hope I got everything in the correct order lol, I'm pretty sure that's it though.**


End file.
